George E. Warren LLC Clean Air Act Settlement
(Washington, D.C. – September 11, 2020) – George E. Warren LLC (GEW) has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $5,100,000 to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) stemming from its production of gasoline that did not meet fuel standards and its failure to comply with various reporting requirements.
Overview of Company
GEW is a privately held company headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida whose activities include producing gasoline by blending components in terminal storage tanks located in Perth Amboy and Carteret, New Jersey and in Pasadena, Texas.
Violations
This settlement resolves allegations that GEW violated reformulated gasoline (RFG) volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions performance reduction standards that apply to gasoline produced by adding blendstocks to previously certified gasoline. These alleged violations occurred with respect to 89 batches of RFG the company produced at terminals located in Perth Amboy and Carteret, NJ. The settlement also resolves violations of fuels reporting requirements, and a self-reported violation of the per-gallon gasoline sulfur standard for a batch of RFG the company produced at a terminal located in Pasadena, Texas.
Environmental Benefits and Pollutant Reductions
Violations of the RFG VOC emissions performance reduction standards resulted in additional emissions of VOCs. VOCs are a precursor to the formation of ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone causes a wide variety of health and environmental impacts, including temporary breathing difficulty for people with asthma, respiratory illness, and aggravation of existing heart disease. Violations of the gasoline sulfur standard reduce the efficiency of emission control systems in vehicles and engines.
Civil Penalty
GEW will pay a $5,100,000 civil penalty to the United States.
Contacts for Further Information
For Legal Questions:
Jeffrey A. Kodish, Fuels Team Leader
Air Enforcement Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street (8MSU)
Denver, CO 80202-1129
kodish.jeff@epa.gov
For Technical Questions:
John Connell, Environmental Protection Specialist
Air Enforcement Division
Office of Civil Enforcement
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop Street (8MSU)
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 312-7164
connell.johnc@epa.gov