INDIANAPOLIS | Indiana has delayed a public hearing about BP's new water permit for its planned Whiting refinery expansion.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has set the new hearing for March 14th. It still will be at the Hammond Civic Center.

State officials released a proposed air permit Tuesday the company needs approved before work can begin on the $3.8 billion project. IDEM says the delay will give the public extra time to analyze the permit and prepare comments.

Environmental activists said it would take several days to digest the draft permit and a separate document detailing the changes the refinery would undergo to make it a hub for processing heavy Canadian crude oil. The documents are about 1,400 pages.