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EPA PROPOSES $20,000 FINE FOR PORTLAND, CT FUEL DISTRIBUTOR

Release Date: 10/20/1998
Contact Information: Leo Kay, Press Office, (617) 918-4154

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to fine Yankee Terminals, Inc., $20,350 for illegally selling high sulfur diesel to numerous Connecticut towns and bus companies, who then unknowingly dispensed the non-compliant fuel into buses and trucks.

Under the federal Clean Air Act, distributors are required to deliver low sulfur fuel -- containing .05 percent sulfur or less by weight -- to companies, municipalities and others that dispense diesel for use in trucks, automobiles and other on-road vehicles. High sulfur diesel, which costs less than low-sulfur diesel, is commonly used as heating oil and fuel for off-road equipment and engines, such as cranes, generators, boats and locomotives.

Use of high sulfur diesel in motor vehicles increases the emissions of small particulate matter, which can lead to severe lung problems and increases susceptibility to respiratory infection such as pneumonia, aggravation of acute and chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Small particulate matter also contributes to the formation of the smoke that is widely associated with diesel engines.

"Passing off high sulfur diesel as low sulfur diesel - whether intentional or not - can result in foul smoke and pollution being spewed into the air," said John P. DeVillars, administrator of the EPA's New England Office. "This case should send a message to other fuel distributors in the region that we are keeping a watchful eye over those who have an effect on New England's air quality."

This is the third case in the past year in which the EPA's New England office has proposed fines for fuel distributors for improperly distributing high sulfur diesel.

EPA and IRS officials initially discovered the violations during an inspection of an East Hampton bus company in November. After determining that the fuel supplier was Yankee, EPA investigators subsequently discovered that Yankee supplied non-compliant fuel to eight other fuel tanks at municipal and bus fleet facilities in the towns of East Hampton, Brooklyn, Bozrah and Willington. The EPA then conducted a follow-up investigation at the fuel distributor's Portland facility.

Yankee has since taken immediate steps to remedy its violations.