Oil Refiner Agrees to $425 Million Clean Air Act Settlement

In a settlement agreement reached with the Department of Justice and US EPA, an oil refining firm has pledged to reduce air pollution at six of its refineries. The $425 million settlement—which includes a $10 million civil penalty and $403 million to install and operation pollution control equipment—was announced in a DOJ press release yesterday.

EPA alleges the Texas-based refining company violated a number of Clean Air Act standards at six refineries, including:

• Leak detection and repair requirements
• Prevention of Significant Deterioration
• Non-attainment New Source Review (NSR) requirements
• New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)
• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
• State-level Clean Air programs and permit rules

New NESHAPs for Petroleum Refineries

The $425 million settlement comes after US EPA last week finalized new NESHAP requirements for oil refineries. The latest update to the Clean Air Act regulations for the oil and gas industry affects regulatory requirements for maintenance vents that may emit hazardous air pollutants during startup, shutdown, maintenance, or inspection.

Clean Air Act Fines Now Up to $93,750 per day, per violation!

Build the expertise you need to make informed decisions that help your site control pollution and stay compliant. With EPA fines on the rise, it’s crucial that you build a solid understanding of the complex, changing air rules that affect your site.  

The Clean Air Act Regulations guides professionals through compliance with Title V permit requirements, emissions and pollution controls, annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, Risk Management Planning (RMP) responsibilities, and more. Interactive, easy to use, and available 24/7, the new online course will help you get up to speed with new and changing EPA clean air rules and protect your facility from costly EPA enforcement. 

Tags: Act, Air, Clean, EPA