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EPA Settles Clean Air Act Violations in Connecticut; Agreement Includes $421,000 for Environmental Projects

Release Date: 10/15/2001
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, EPA Press Office (617) 918-1013

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the settlement of a case against Gulf Oil for violations of the federal Clean Air Act.

Between 1994 and 1997, EPA alleges that Gulf Oil released an estimated 63 tons of excess volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fuel loading racks at its New Haven bulk fuel storage terminal. VOCs are a key component of smog.

As part of the settlement Gulf Oil will pay a cash penalty of $40,000 and spend approximately $421,000 in voluntary supplemental environmental projects designed to reduce the company's VOC emissions in the New Haven area and other parts of the east coast. Those improvements also will be made to tanks in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maine.

The expected VOC reductions will amount to an estimated 25 tons per year for at least the next 15 years.

"This is the kind of work that needs to be done to reduce VOCs in New England and the rest of the country. It takes new technology replacing old inefficient systems, and it takes companies who are willing to make the capital investments to improve not only their bottom line, but our environment," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office.

Gulf bought the New Haven bulk storage terminal in 1994. EPA alleges Gulf operated it for several years without the necessary state and federal permits. In addition, EPA claims that Gulf made modifications to one of the tanks at the terminal without applying for or obtaining the proper permits. EPA also claims that Gulf also failed to test for emissions at the terminal and on at least four occasions, emitted excess VOCs into the air. The company also failed to maintain emission control equipment at the terminal in good working order, according to EPA.

In late 1996 EPA inspected the Gulf terminal and issued an order to the company to conduct an emissions test of its equipment, which Gulf did in early 1997. Those tests revealed the emissions violations, and EPA's investigations found the other violations.

Last year, EPA settled a related case against Cumberland Farms, which owned this fuel terminal and sold it to Gulf in 1994. EPA claimed that Cumberland Farms modified two gasoline loading racks without applying for and obtaining permits from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and failed to test the emission control equipment.

For these violations, Cumberland Farms paid a $40,000 penalty and spent approximately $55,000 on a voluntary supplemental environmental project in which the company supplied 1,000 new portable gasoline containers to its customers. The containers eliminated spillage and greatly reduced emissions while filling and storing gasoline. Cumberland Farms also purchased and retired 5 tons of VOC emissions credits, ensuring that no other facility would be able to use these to offset other emissions.

For more information, visit: https://www.epa.gov/region1/topics/air/airquality.html