WASHINGTON, D.C. (6/16/2005) - The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a comprehensive Clean Air Act settlement with petroleum refiner Sunoco that is expected to reduce harmful air emissions by more than 24,000 tons per year from four refineries in three states. The agreement will bring nearly 65 percent of domestic refining capacity into compliance with the law.

Geography: Four refineries:

Toledo, Ohio
Tulsa, Okla.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Marcus Hook, Pa.

Industry Capacity:

730,000 barrels of oil per day
5 percent of industry capacity

Emissions reductions:

Nitrogen oxide (NO_x) reduced by 4,500 tons per year

Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) reduced by 19,500 tons per year

Particulate matter (PM) reduced by more than 300 tons per year

Injunctive Relief:

More than $285 million will be spent on injunctive relief through 2013

Guaranteed NO_x and SO₂ emission reductions at each refinery

Commitment to reduce the number and severity of major flaring events at all facilities

Commitment to implement enhanced procedures to reduce benzene emissions and volatile organic compound leaks from valves and other equipment at all facilities

Penalty: $3 million (includes $1.5 million to be paid to participating states)

Environmentally Beneficial Projects: Valued at $3.9 million.

Supplemental Environmental Projects include refinery upgrades at Philadelphia facility to further reduce emissions and the subsidizing of low sulfur fuels purchases in the Philadelphia area.

State and Local Projects include clean diesel retrofits for municipal vehicles in the Philadelphia area and asthma prevention services.

State and Local Partners: Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia

In December 2011, Sunoco shut down and permanently ceased all crude petroleum refining operations at the Marcus Hook, PA refinery.  All of the emission units at the Marcus Hook refinery which were required to obtain permits incorporating specified surviving emission limits and standards established under the Consent Decree have been permanently shut down and the associated permits relinquished.  On December 6, 2013, the Consent Decree as it applies to the Marcus Hook refinery was terminated by the Court.

• Termination of the Sunoco Consent Decree for the Marcus Hook refinery

For additional information, contact:

Patrick Foley
Senior Environmental Engineer
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2242A)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20460-0001
(202) 564-7978
foley.patrick@epa.gov

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