The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking $739,840 in penalties in eight administrative actions against seven refineries in California and one in Hawaii for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
EPA said five of the eight plants violated CAA rules requiring refineries to install and operate continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMs). CEMs are installed to measure either the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in fuel gases before they are burned or the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted after burning.
The deadline for installing CEMs was Oct. 2, 1991.
In addition, seven of the plants are accused of failure to submit semiannual reports to EPA on whether excess emissions were measured by CEMS, as required by the CAA.
Here are EPA's alleged violations and proposed penalties:
WHO'S ACCUSED
Witco Corp., Oildale, Calif., $171,000, failure to install CEMs and provide semiannual reports.
World Oil Corp., also known as Sunland Refining Co., Bakersfield, Calif., $135,500, failure to install CEMs and provide semiannual reports.
Huntway Refining Co., Wilmington, Calif., $105,500, failure to install CEMs and provide semiannual reports.
Fletcher Oil & Refining Co., Wilmington, $60,000, failure to provide semiannual reports.
Ultramar Inc., Long Beach, $60,000, failure to provide semiannual reports.
Unocal Corp., Arroyo Grande, Calif., $60,000, failure to provide semiannual reports.
Mobil Petroleum Co. Inc., Torrance, Calif., $32,822, failure to install CEMs until January 1992.
Hawaiian Independent Refinery Inc., Ewa Beach, Oahu, $115,018, failure to install CEMs until July 1992 and failure to provide semiannual reports.
The proposed penalties take into account the gravity of violations and the economic gain received by the company by failing to comply with the law. The gravity component reflects the duration and seriousness of the violation and size of the business.
A company has 30 days from receipt of a complaint in which to answer the allegations and ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge. A company may also meet with EPA to discuss the alleged violations and proposed penalties.
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