Environmental group wants feds to act on Marathon refinery in Detroit

An environmental action group in Windsor is hoping the federal government will add its voice to opposition against a plan for the Marathon refinery to increase emissions of air pollutants.

At a meeting last Thursday, the Windsor Essex County Environment Committeeresolved to ask the city and county governments to write federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna asking for her to oppose the project.

• Marathon wants to up emissions of air pollutants at Detroit refinery

"Increased pollution in southwest Detroit will invariably have an impact in Windsor-Essex," Derek Coronado told CBC News. "Prevailing wind patterns and the pollutants [Marathon] wants to release are going to move around and affect Canadians,as well."

Marathon operates an oil refinery in southwest Detroit that is located about 6.5 kilometres inland from the Detroit River, and LaSalle, Ont.

Company officials say the change is needed to meet U.S. federal air pollution standards for gasoline. Michigan saidits analysis finds emissions increases fall within allowable regulations.

But Coronado saidhe does not take too much stock in the state's findings as the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the same agency that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said "misinterpreted" water regulations in Flint, Mich., leading to quality issues.

"We know about what happened in Flint," Coronado said. "The failure to listen to people's concerns isn't necessarily a good thing or something the DEQ should repeat."

Though this is the end of a 30-day public consultation period on Marathon's proposal, Coronado said he hopes a response from the Canadian government can help influence proceedings.

The proposal will be going to Essex County Council shortly and Windsor city council within the next few months, Coronado said.