Clean-Air Standards and a Government Engineer
Hilary is an environmental engineer employed by the state
environmental protection division. Pat, her supervisor, asks
her to draw up a construction permit for a power plant at a
manufacturing facility. Hilary is told by her supervisor to
move quickly on the permit and "avoid any hang-ups" with
respect to technical issues.
Hilary believes that the existing plans are inadequate to
meet regulation requirements for air pollution standards (1990
Clean Air Act). As is, the facility would emit sulphur dioxide
and outside scrubbers are needed to reduce those emissions.
Knowing that suspension or revocation of her engineering
license is a possibility if she prepares a permit that violates
environmental regulations, Hilary tells Pat that she believes
the plans would violate regulations and will not draw up a
permit. Pat vehemently disagrees. He claims that mixing
limestone with coal in a fluidized boiler process would remove
90% of the dioxide-- thus meeting the regulatory
requirements.
The debate between Hilary and Pat was left unresolved. But
one week later, Hilary learned that the department authorized
the issuance of the permit.
What, if anything, should Hilary do now?
--adapted from NSPE Case No.92-4
Current NSPE Code of Ethics
An earlier version may have been used in this case.
Original Case and BER Judgement
Cite this page:
"Clean-Air Standards and a Government Engineer"
Online Ethics Center for Engineering
6/10/2006 9:39:39 PM
National Academy of Engineering
Accessed: Friday, January 09, 2009
<www.onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/ppcases/NSPEcases/ec92-4.aspx>