USA: BP agrees to record $40 million settlement for violating environmental law at Indiana refinery
"BP to pay record-setting $40M to settle air, water pollution charges at Indiana refinery", 30 May 2023
An Indiana manufacturing facility has set a new record, but not in a good way. The subsidiary of BP is paying an unprecedented penalty — $40 million — to settle charges its Indiana refinery violated federal law by releasing harmful pollutants into the air and wastewater.
The settlement, between BP Products North America Inc., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice, was announced in May. The refinery located near Lake Michigan is one of the oldest and largest in the U.S., with the capacity to process more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil every day.
Environmental advocates celebrated the crack down at the refinery with a history of emissions issues...
The settlement stems from an October 2019 site visit where inspectors observed multiple violations, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
The federal government's complaint alleged the refinery violated federal regulations limiting benzene in wastewater streams and hazardous air pollutants. Benzene is a known cancer-causing chemical and air emissions are linked to health problems including difficulty breathing, aggravated asthma and reduced lung capacity...
The settlement obligates BP to pay a penalty of $40 million — the largest civil penalty ever secured for a Clean Air Act settlement for a fixed location...
Roughly $9 million will go to the state, with the remainder going to the U.S. Treasury...
The settlement also requires BP to invest approximately $197 million in new technology and other improvements to reduce pollution from the site...
The company also agreed to complete a $5 million supplemental project to reduce diesel emissions in the surrounding communities...
Both the EPA and environmental advocates say they hope this settlement will set a precedent. The agency said it "expects compliance and when violations are repeated, violators should expect that the EPA will assess large penalties..."