HOUSTON - Environmentalists who are suing a Louisiana refinery for alleged violations of the U.S Clean Air Act called on Tuesday for the state's government to place additional monitoring equipment around the plant.
The environmentalists claim Chalmette Refining LLC's 183,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana, continues to release emissions in violation of US and state standards.
"We're suing about the past," said Kenneth Ford, president of St. Bernard Citizens for Environmental Quality. "We're breathing this now. What are they going to do about the future? We want continuous real-time monitors on the fenceline."
Chalmette Refining, a 50-50 joint venture between Exxon Mobil Corp. and Venezuela's state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), is located in St. Bernard Parish on east side of the New Orleans metropolitan area.
A refinery spokesman said Chalmette continues to work on reducing pollution from the plant, including a 40 percent cut in emissions from equipment malfunctions and the construction of $35 million wastewater treatment plant.
"We believe our environmental record continues to improve," said spokeswoman Nora Scheller in a statement. "Our policy is to meet all appropriate rules, regulations and standards."
The state Department of Environmental Quality is negotiating with Chalmette to settle alleged air and water pollution violations. Ford said he would like the monitors to be part of that agreement.
Bruce Hammatt, an administrator of the Department of Environmental Quality, who is negotiating the settlement said he would not go into the details of the proposed agreement
"I don't think that's been a major part of what we've been concerned about," Hammatt said. "Putting up extra monitors is not normally something we require."
Monitoring equipment is located at various locations around the Chalmette community.
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