THE STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY is recommending a $1.25 million fine against Crown Central Petroleum in Pasadena for releasing unauthorized emissions.

If the fine stands, it would become the largest in state history for air quality violations, said Lisa Dyar, an attorney for the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

The commission assessed a $1.05 million fine against Crown in 1998 which then was the largest for air quality violations in state history.

The unauthorized releases of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide - pungent-smelling byproducts of oil refining - occurred while the company was working with three independent consultants hired to help the Pasadena refinery get in compliance and prevent emissions violations, Dyar said Thursday.

Hiring the consultants was part of the order issued against the company in 1998.

An environmental group, Texans United, along with the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union, jointly released a report Wednesday detailing Crown's continuing violations and increases in pollution since the company locked out union members in 1996 and replaced them with temporary contract workers.

The two groups blasted the company for continuing to have the same pollution violations for which it was fined in 1998.

The proposed fine is for releases that included more than 74 tons of sulfur dioxide from June 14 to 26, as well as 1,500 pounds of sulfur dioxide on Jan. 6, Dyar said.

But, she said, the company's unauthorized emissions have improved significantly since Crown implemented the consultant's recommendations.

"In the last report, which was the first quarter of 2000, Crown did not have an excess emissions for hydrogen sulfide or sulfur dioxide which had been the problem before," she said. "It looks like those measures are helping."

Randall Trembly, executive vice president for Crown, said the company would disagree with the proposed fine when the company submits its response to the commission next week, "particularly since we have complied with everything they have asked us to do."

"Given our effort to do that and get there, we just don't think it would be appropriate to be facing extra penalties for things that we were improving on all along," he said.

Copr. (C) West 2000

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Sunday, May 14, 2000
Metro & Texas Digest Staff and Wire Reports

                    State board recommends 
                 $1.25 million pollution fine

HOUSTON - The Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission is recommending a $1.25 million fine against
Crown Central Petroleum for the unauthorized release of
sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide into the air.

Commission attorney Lisa Dyar told the Houston Chronicle
that the fine, if it stands, would be the largest the
agency has levied for air quality violations.

In 1998, Pasadena-based Crown was assessed a $1.05
million fine, the largest for air quality violations in
state history at the time.

The company released the chemicals, which are byproducts
of oil refining, into the air while working with
independent consultants hired to help the refinery get in
compliance and prevent emissions violations, Dyar said.

The proposed fine is for more than 74 tons of sulfur
dioxide released into the air June 14-26, as well as
1,500 pounds of sulfur dioxide on Jan. 6, Dyar said.

Randall Trembly, executive vice president for Crown, said
the company would dispute the fine when a response is
submitted to the commission in the next few days. 

"Given our effort to do that and get there, we just don't
think it would be appropriate to be facing extra
penalties for things that we were improving on all
along," he said.