WASHINGTON – BP North America Inc. has agreed to pay an $8 million penalty and invest more than $400 million to install state-of-the-art pollution controls and cut emissions from BP’s petroleum refinery in Whiting, Ind.
The agreement, announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environment and Natural Resources Division, is expected to reduce harmful air pollution that can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog and haze, by more than 4,000 tons per year.
The complaint alleges violations of Clean Air Act requirements at the Whiting refinery in connection with construction and expansion of the refinery, as well as violations of a 2001 consent decree with the company that covered all of BP’s refineries and was entered into as part of EPA’s Petroleum Refinery Initiative.
Today’s settlement will lead to the installation of innovative pollution controls on the largest sources of emissions at the Whiting refinery, including extensive new controls on the refinery’s flaring devices. Flaring devices are used to burn off waste gases. The more waste gases sent to a flare, and the less efficient the flare is when burning those gases, the more pollution that will occur. Under the settlement, BP will install new equipment that will limit the amount of waste gas sent to flaring devices in the first place, as well as implement innovative, cutting-edge controls to ensure proper combustion efficiency for any gases that are burned in a flaring device.
Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, said, “In this case, BP North America has not lived up to all of its obligations under an earlier settlement agreement and has committed new violations of the Clean Air Act at its Whiting refinery in Indiana. This settlement secures a significant penalty, requires state-of-the-art controls, and is a fair and just resolution that will address BP’s violations. We will continue to hold BP accountable and ensure that it complies with the nation’s environmental laws.”
Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, added, “Today’s settlement will protect the residents of northwestern Indiana from harmful air pollution by requiring state-of-the-art pollution controls. BP’s agreement to install fenceline monitoring will also ensure that residents have access to critical information about pollution that may be affecting their community.”
The settlement also requires the Whiting refinery to spend $9.5 million on projects at the refinery to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and will result in the installation of a $2 million fence line emission monitoring system at the Whiting refinery, which will continuously monitor benzene, toluene, pentane, hexane, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and all compounds containing reduced sulfur.
Related Federal Cases
- Indiana Narcotics Kingpin Brady Sentenced · Indiana
- Indiana Arsonist Sentenced To 20 Years For Toledo Mosque Attack · Indiana
- Indiana Man Charged With Three Felonies in Bank Fraud Case · Indiana
- Indiana Man Admits to Explosives Plot, ISIL Ties · Alaska
- Indiana Couple Gets Time for Texas Bank Heist · Texas
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News