ERG Supports EPA and DOJ Settlement with Oil Refiners over Clean Air Act Violations

With ERG support, EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice recently reached a settlement with oil refiners Tesoro Corporation and Par Hawaii Refining over their alleged Clean Air Act violations related to leaks, flares, and excess emissions at their refineries in six states. ERG supported EPA’s investigations of Tesoro refineries since 2003, including inspections at five of the six refineries covered by the settlement, as well as technical evaluations of control technology proposals, especially flare gas recovery. ERG also estimated the emission reductions that will result from installing new pollution control equipment and pollution monitoring tools at the refineries. The settlement will help protect public health by advancing the latest technological approaches to reducing emissions of hazardous air pollutants.