HOUSTON, June 5 -- The Texas Attorney General’s Office is suing BP Products North America Inc. for 46 pollution violations at its Texas City, Tex., refinery, the site of a 2005 explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 170 others.
On June 4, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said BP did not report emissions to regulators by certain deadlines. Abbott’s office filed a hearing for an injunction requiring BP to install additional air monitors.
A June 29 hearing is scheduled in state district court in Austin, where the lawsuit was filed on May 22. It claims BP improperly released volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrogen oxides.
“BP Products is charged with polluting our environment, concealing information from authorities and harming Texans,” Abbot said. “In recent years, more than 45 unlawful pollutant emissions occurred at BP’s Texas City facility. This enforcement action holds BP accountable for failing to comply with environmental, health and safety laws that are intended to protect Texans from harm.”
In response, BP said it had no comment on the lawsuit. But BP spokesmen in the past have said the company is working to reduce the number of emissions events at the Texas City refinery.
Photo from ExxonMobil Corp.
Photos from Repsol SA.
