At a time when many of them are at odds, environmentalists and state officials Thursday discussed creating a statewide rule aimed at controlling increased water pollution discharges.

Officials from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management met at the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission to discuss IDEM's antidegradation policy.

The rule addresses new or increased discharges from facilities holding a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit.

BP and other companies that release pollutants into the Great Lakes are regulated under the policy. "At a minimum," according to IDEM, "the antidegradation policy must ensure the maintenance of the level of water quality necessary to protect existing uses in the receiving water body."

The agency has worked on a statewide version for a long time, said veteran environmentalist Lee Botts, who attended Thursday's meeting.

Amy Hartsock, spokeswoman for IDEM, said officials have, "refocused and are now in the process of meeting with groups who have had an interest."

Botts, who called the approval of BP's permit "short sighted," said IDEM's statewide rule ideas are complex, and would have "subtle" differences from its Great Lakes version.

Botts said the meeting's timing was coincidental to the controversy over BP's wastewater discharge permit, and that the meeting had been planned for weeks.

IDEM officials with more information on the meeting could not be reached Thursday.

Botts said one of the issues discussed was how IDEM can appropriately consider economic and social factors when issuing discharge permits.

"How do you measure that, how do you account for that?" Botts said. "It's ultimately a political decision."

Kathy Luther, director of environmental management for NIRPC, said one of the challenges in creating a blanket rule is considering differences in industry and pollution throughout the state.

"It's so location specific," Luther said. "How do you compare (communities)?"

Hartsock did not have a timeline for when the agency wants a statewide rule implemented.

Botts said she expected discussions on a new rule would be "a long-term process."