Case Study

Laws and Ethics

CASE
Hilary is an environmental engineer employed
by the state environmental protection division.
Pat, her supervisor, asks her to raw up a
construction permit for a power plant at a
manufacturing facility. Hilary is told by her
supervisor to move quickly and avoid any
hang-ups with respect to technical issues.

CASE
Hilary believes that the existing plans
are inadequate to meet the regulation
requirements for air pollution standards
(Clean Air Act). As is, the facility would
emit sulfur dioxide and outside scrubbers
are needed to reduce those emissions.

CASE
Knowing that suspension or revocation of her engineering
license us 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 the permit. Pat vehemently disagrees. He
claims that mixing limestone with coal in a fluidizer boiler
process would remove 90% of the dioxide thus meeting
with the regulatory requirements.

CASE
The debate between Hilary and Pat
was left unresolved. But one week
later, Hilary learned that the
department authorized the issuance of
the permit.

QUESTION

What, if anything, should Hilary

do now?

KEY POINTS
Hilary is an environmental engineer in a state

environmental protection division.

Pats urging to hasten the process of permit issuance
Inadequate plans
Hilary and Pats Debate
Authorization of the Issuance by the Department

Considerations

Ethical Considerations
Environmental Hazard
License Revocation
Ethical Reasoning for her next course of action

Hilarys Course of Action

ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT
Revocation of the permit
Confirmation of Pats Claims

CONCLUSION

She should move to revoke the

permit if already issued or move to
suspend its issuance.

END