WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) announced Oct. 31 that has Exxon Mobil Corp. agreed to spend roughly $300 million to install air pollution control technology at eight petrochemical facilities in Texas and Louisiana.
“This settlement means cleaner air for communities across Texas and Louisiana, and reinforces EPA’s commitment to enforce the law and hold those who violate it accountable,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “As this agreement shows, EPA is dedicated to partnering with states to address critical environmental issues and improving compliance in the regulated community to prevent future violations of the law.”
The settlement resolves allegations that ExxonMobil violated the Clean Air Act by not properly monitoring industrial flares at its facilities. Because of the company’s failings, excess emissions of harmful air pollution entered the environment.
“This settlement will improve air quality in Texas and Louisiana by eliminating thousands of tons of harmful air pollution each year,” said acting assistant attorney general Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The agreement, which requires Exxon to reduce emissions from its facilities in Texas and Louisiana, demonstrates the Justice Department’s continuing efforts, alongside EPA and our state partners, to protect the American public from these harmful pollutants by bringing sources of air pollution into compliance with the Clean Air Act.”