CITGO Global Refinery Settlement

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a comprehensive Clean Air Act settlement with CITGO. The settlement is expected to reduce harmful air emissions by more than 30,000 tons per year from six petroleum refineries in five states that represent nearly 5 percent of total refining capacity in the United States.

• Geography
• Industry Capacity
• Emissions reductions
• Injunctive Relief
• Penalty
• Supplemental Environmental Project
• Contact

Geography

Six affected refineries:Savannah, Ga., Lemont, Ill., Corpus Christi, Texas, Lake Charles, La (2 refineries), Paulsboro, N.J.

Industry Capacity

• 760,300 barrels of oil per day
• 5 percent of industry capacity
• 5th largest refiner to settle under EPA's Petroleum Refinery Initiative
  (BP, Motiva, Marathon Ashland Petroleum and Chevron are larger
  -see Petroleum Refinery Initiative)

Emissions reductions

Nitrogen Oxide (NO_x) reduced by over 7,000 tons per year Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) reduced by over 23,000 tons per year Particulate Matter (PM) reduced by over 900 tons per year

Injunctive Relief

• More than $320 million to be spent on injunctive relief through 2011
• Guaranteed (SO₂) and PM emission reductions at Lemont, Lake Charles and Corpus Christi
• Guaranteed (NO_x) emission reductions at Lemont, Lake Charles, Corpus Christi, Paulsboro and Savannah
• Commitment to reduce the number and severity of major flaring events at all facilities
• Commitment to implement enhanced procedures to reduce benzene emissions and VOC leaks from valves and other equipment at all facilities

Penalty

$3.6 million cash (includes $1.3 million to be paid to participating states)

Supplemental Environmental Project

CITGO will replace three gas-fired compressors with an electric compressor at its Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery.
The proposed consent decree is subject to a public comment period, and final court approval. For more information on the Petroleum Refinery Initiative.

Contact

For additional information, contact:

Patrick W. Foley
Senior Environmental Engineer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2242A)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20460-0001
(202) 564-7978
foley.patrick@epa.gov