News Releases from Headquarters›Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA)
U.S. Settles with Valero Over Alleged Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Violations
WASHINGTON (October 19, 2020) — The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement today with Valero Energy Corporation and a number of its subsidiaries and affiliates that resolves alleged violations at 12 facilities of Clean Air Act fuel quality requirements that are designed to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles.
Pursuant to the settlement, Valero will install pollution controls to reduce an estimated 23 tons of volatile organic compound emissions per year at its terminal in Port Arthur, Texas and pay a $2.85 million civil penalty to the United States. Valero will also develop and implement a company-wide Fuels Management System to help ensure its production of gasoline and diesel fuel complies with the Clean Air Act. Valero further committed to completing two benzene reduction measures at its refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas that Valero estimates will result in emission reductions of 583 pounds per year.
“EPA is committed to ensuring compliance with the environmental protections of the Clean Air Act fuel quality standards,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine. “Refineries must meet those standards to protect our air quality.”
The EPA discovered the alleged violations during a 2015 compliance evaluation of Valero’s facilities and from information that Valero self-disclosed. The fuel quality violations in this case include Valero’s failure to comply with certain gasoline volatility standards, meet the gasoline per-gallon sulfur standard, and comply with certain gasoline and diesel fuel sampling, testing, and reporting requirements.
The proposed consent decree, which was lodged in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, will undergo a 30-day public comment period and then be subject to final court approval. It will be available for viewing on the United States Department of Justice’s website: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees
The KMI Perth Amboy Terminal in Perth Amboy, N.J.; the Texas City Refinery in Texas City, Texas; and the West Memphis Terminal in West Memphis, Ark. are three of the facilities affected by this settlement and that are also located within an Opportunity Zone. Learn more about EPA’s work with Opportunity Zones here.
To learn more about this settlement: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/enforcement/valero-energy-corporation-et-al-clean-air-act-settlement