The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the latest proposed settlement in EPA’s Clean Air Act enforcement initiative against petroleum refiners. Hess Corporation will pay an $850,000 civil penalty and spend more than $45 million on new pollution controls at its Port Reading, New Jersey refinery to resolve alleged CAA violations.

This settlement includes several measures related to New Source Performance Standards and flaring. EPA has declared flaring an enforcement priority, and this settlement reflects the agency’s focus and will require Hess to adopt a number of new compliance and monitoring requirements.

This latest settlement follows April’s settlement with Marathon Petroleum Company for several CAA violations and continues a trend that has seen now 31 such agreements with petroleum refineries in the U.S. since 2000. As a result of these settlements, refiners have invested more than $6 billion in new pollution controls to reduce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other emissions.

Click here to continue reading this alert including details on this latest settlement.

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Photo of Mike Mills Mike Mills

Mike Mills is a partner and chair of the firm’s Oil & Gas, Pipelines and Mining Industry Team.  Oil & gas, as well as mining companies, look to Mike to skillfully advise them on natural resources development issues, counsel them on federal and…

Mike Mills is a partner and chair of the firm’s Oil & Gas, Pipelines and Mining Industry Team.  Oil & gas, as well as mining companies, look to Mike to skillfully advise them on natural resources development issues, counsel them on federal and state hazardous waste cleanup matters, and help them successfully navigate property tax valuation disputes.

When necessary to protect his clients’ interests, Mike relies on his understanding of complex regulatory matters and his clients’ businesses to defend them in environmental litigation, defeat citizen suit claims, and reduce or eliminate fines and penalties. He has been listed in Northern California Super Lawyer® since 2013 in Environmental Law and Energy & Natural Resources.

Click here for Mike Mills’ full bio.