Environmental Concerns - Friday, July 30, 2010 9:04 - 0 Comments

Massachusetts Reaches $2.9 Million Settlement With Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobil Corp. and two affiliates have agreed to pay a $2.9 million civil penalty to resolve allegations that the company violated Massachusetts air pollution laws. The settlement requires Exxon Mobil to reduce gasoline vapor emissions by updating and improving air pollution control systems at its bulk gasoline terminals in Everett and Springfield. Laurie Burt, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, observed:

Big oil can no longer marginalize environmental compliance while increasing their gasoline sales and distribution in Massachusetts.

Between 1999 and 2001, and without the approval of Massachusetts environmental regulators, Exxon Mobil made changes to the vapor collection and recovery system used to control emissions of volatile organic compounds at its Everett terminal. Changes included the removal of certain emissions controls required under state air permits. Exxon Mobil also failed to control VOC emissions during the degassing of a storage tank in Everett in 2008. The state also alleged that Exxon Mobil did not properly control emissions of VOCs from gasoline tank trucks during loading operations and failed to comply with emissions monitoring, repair and reporting requirements at both locations. Bulk terminals are facilities where large quantities of gasoline are stored before distribution to gas stations.

Source: Associated Press