Sinclair Oil pays $2.45 million for air violations

WASHINGTON - Sinclair Oil Corp., has agreed to pay $2.45 million in civil penalties and reduce emissions from three of its refineries in Wyoming and Oklahoma as part of a clean air settlement with the government, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

Under the agreement, filed in U.S. District Court in Wyoming, the company also promises to spent $72 million for new and upgraded air pollution controls at the refineries near Casper and Sinclair, Wyo.,and in Tulsa, Okla. It also promises $150 million for other environmental improvements including reducing air pollution from trash trucks in Tulsa.

"The emission reductions required by this settlement will lead to cleaner air and significant environmental and public health benefits for the communities in Wyoming and Oklahoma," Ronald Tenpas, assistant attorney general for environment and natural resources, said in a statement.

The settlement concluded an enforcement action brought by the Environmental Protection Agency which alleged that Sinclair had violated the federal Clean Air Act at the refineries.

This "shows polluters that they need to act responsibly," said Granta Nakayama, assistant EPA administrator for enforcement.

The agreement requires new pollution controls at the three refineries that will cut annual emissions of 1,100 tons of smog-causing nitrogen oxide and 4,600 tons of sulfur dioxide as well as reductions in soot and volatile organic compounds. All of these pollutants contribute to respiratory problems as well as dirty air that impacts ecosystems and reduces visibility.

The states of Oklahoma and Wyoming joined in the settlement.

The agreement is the latest in a number of enforcement actions taken against major refinery operators. Other agreements have been reached with Valero Energy, Total Petrochemicals and Hunt Refining Co., for installation of a total of $300 million in pollution controls at refineries in Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Alabama and Mississippi, the EPA said.