Chevron Phillips agrees to reduce pollution at 3 plants in Texas

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP has agreed to reduce harmful air pollution at three Texas-based plants, among other resolutions. 

Chevron Phillips has agreed to make upgrades and perform compliance measures in order to resolve allegations that its three Texas plant facilities don’t adhere to the Clean Air Act and state air pollution control laws, according to the Department of Justice [DOJ] on Wednesday. 

In a complaint filed with a consent decree, Chevron Phillips is accused of failing to properly operate and monitor its industrial flares, causing an excess emission of air pollution at the three facilities. 

The complaint also alleged the company regularly “oversteamed” flares and failed to comply with other key operating constraints to ensure the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants contained in the gases connected to the flares are efficiently combusted, according to the statement. 

“The Justice Department and EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] will enforce the law against petrochemical plants that violate the Clean Air Act,” DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said. “We are committed to reducing harmful air pollution from unnecessary and improper flaring, especially near overburdened communities with environmental justice concerns.”

Once the changes are fully implemented, pollution controls are estimated to reduce emissions of climate change-causing greenhouse gases by more than 75,000 tons per year, with the settlement also expected to reduce emissions of ozone-forming VOCs by 1,528 tons per year and of toxic air pollutants by 158 tons per year.

“This settlement will require Chevron Phillips to install pollution control and emissions monitoring equipment at three facilities in Texas, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful gases by thousands of tons per year,” EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield said. “Those controls, plus a requirement for fence line monitoring of benzene emissions and corrective actions when benzene readings are high, will result in significant benefits for the local communities in Texas.”

The estimated cost for Chevron Phillips to perform these upgrades is $118 million, and the company will also pay $3.4 million in a civil penalty, the statement noted.