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Exxon Will Pay $2,500 and Make Environmental Improvements Worth $70,000 in Everett

Release Date: 12/20/2000
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON – The US Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the Exxon Co. has agreed to pay a $2,500 fine and make $70,000 in environmental improvements at its Everett, Mass. bulk gasoline terminal for violations of the Clean Air Act.

As part of this week's agreement, Exxon agreed to place air emission controls on certain gasoline tanks at the company's Everett facility, resulting in a reduction of about four tons a year of volatile organic compounds, including the hazardous air pollutants benzene, hexane and toluene. VOCs contribute to ozone formation.

The action settles a complaint filed by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in January 2000, which claimed that Exxon Company USA failed to submit in a timely manner a document notifying EPA that its bulk gasoline terminal was subject to federal bulk gas standards, as required by the Clean Air Act. The complaint also claimed Exxon failed to complete a timely test of emissions performance, both required under federal law. Exxon Company, USA is a division of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

EPA-New England two years ago ordered Exxon to conduct the required emissions performance test. The subsequent test revealed no emissions violations.

"Although the performance test did not show emissions violations, Exxon's failure to provide an accurate notice in a timely manner and to conduct the testing in a timely manner presented the risk that earlier violations may have gone undetected," said Mindy S. Lubber, regional administrator of EPA New England.