Coffeyville refinery to pay $23 million for years of air pollution - WIBW

Coffeyville refinery to pay $23 million for years of air pollution

LENEXA, Kan. (WIBW) - A refinery in Coffeyville will pay more than $23 million after tons of toxic chemicals polluted the city’s air for years.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that a settlement has been reached with Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing LLC and affiliated companies for violations of the Clean Air Act as well as a previous consent decree related to its petroleum refinery operations.

“The settlement with Coffeyville delivers on the promise of EPA’s new climate enforcement strategy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 10,000 cars,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “In addition, the actions we are taking alongside our state partners in Kansas will reduce harmful air pollution that makes breathing more difficult and causes smog, acid rain, and tree and plant damage.”

The EPA noted that the violations resulted in illegal emissions of various pollutants including an estimated 2,300 tons of sulfur dioxide which can make breathing more difficult. These pollutants were emitted from the refinery’s flares between 2015 and 2017.

“This settlement demonstrates that the United States will take decisive action to address Clean Air Act violations, to enforce the terms of consent decrees and to promote environmental justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The emissions reductions achieved under this settlement will result in healthier air for a community disproportionately affected by air pollution, including for residents of the nearby Cherokee Nation.”

The Agency indicated that the U.S. and the State of Kansas alleged that CRRM violated various provisions of a 2012 decree and the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, the refinery will be made to spend $1 million on a project to benefit the public and environment as well as up to $9 million to prevent future violations. The company will also pay more than $13 million in penalties to the U.S. and Kansas.

“We are committed to protecting people and families in the communities where they live,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “In addition to the emission controls provided in the settlement, this order requires CRRM to invest $1 million in an environmental project to be approved by the state of Kansas, which will directly benefit the citizens of the state.”

Since the U.S. and Kansas started the investigation into CRRM’s non-compliance in 2016, the EPA said the company’s efforts to come into compliance have already eliminated more than 39,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Additionally, the flare gas recovery system required through the decree will also reduce yearly emissions of greenhouse gasses by nearly 13,000 tons.

In 2020, the EPA said the pair sought more than $6.8 million in penalties from CRRM due to the alleged violations of the 2012 decree. CRRM was held liable for the stipulated penalties and the company appealed the decision.

Also in 2020, the U.S. and Kansas alleged additional violations at the refinery that resulted in the emissions of SO2 in a community already disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

The Agency said in all, CRRM will be required to:

- Pay more than $6.8 million in stipulated penalties awarded by the court and $183,000 in stipulated penalties for additional violations of the 2012 consent decree;
- Pay more than $6.2 million in additional penalties for Clean Air Act violations alleged in the complaint;
- Spend at least $1 million on an environmentally beneficial project to be approved by the State of Kansas;
- Undertake various measures to facilitate future compliance with the Clean Air Act;
- Reduce NOx emissions from refinery heaters; and
- Build an approximately $9 million flare gas recovery system to reduce the refinery’s flaring

The EPA noted that the decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

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