Phillips to pay $350,000 to settle suit

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Sep 15, 2000

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Phillips Petroleum will pay $350,000 to settle a lawsuit stemming from its alleged violation of the Clean Air Act at its Woods Cross refinery in the 1990s.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the settlement Thursday in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The complaint alleges the Woods Cross refinery violated sulfur dioxide emission limits and monitoring rules established by Utah refineries in 1991.

At the time, the refineries agreed to install and operate equipment to recover most sulfur before it escapes into the air and ensure state limits are not surpassed.

They also agreed to constantly monitor emissions.

In the Phillips case, the emissions' monitor apparently broke down and more than the allowable amount of sulfur dioxide was released. EPA filed the lawsuit in 1997.

Phillips refused to admit to the allegations but agreed to pay the penalty and promised to comply with the laws in the future.

Sulfur dioxide is formed when fuels containing sulfur are burned. Once airborne, the gas turns into small particles that can remain trapped in the air, depending on weather patterns and land formation.

EPA said compliance by the Woods Cross refinery began to improve after the lawsuit was filed, and it now appears to meet emission and monitoring requirements.