TOP AIR POLLUTION PENALTIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution in the area. It has the power to fine polluters from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, the potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional or accidental and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid to the district in February:

COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS PENALTY VIOLATION Shell Oil Co. Oil refinery $20,050 Excessive emissions Carson refinery and tears in storage tank seals Mobil Oil Co. Oil refinery $16,250 Excessive emissions Vernon due to improper tank seal Paramount Petroleum Oil refinery $11,500 Excessive Corp. hydrocarbon vapors Paramount and sodium dioxide emissions Unocal Corp. Oil refinery $10,300 Excessive sodium Brea dioxide emissions Western Waste Waste-hauling $5,000 Open air paint Industries spraying Santa Fe Springs Robertson’s Ready Concrete $5,000 Excessive dust; Mix producer operating without a Fontana, Redlands sites permit Desoto Detergents Detergent $4,000 Excessive sulfur Santa Fe Springs manufacturer dioxide emissions City of Los Angeles, Waste water $3,400 Excessive hydrogen Sanitation Division facility sulfide emissions at Terminal Island treatment plant Shell Oil Co. Service Station Gasoline sales $2,175 Failure to maintain Mission Viejo system Fender Musical Musical $2,000 Operating spray Instruments instrument painting booths Corona manufacturer exceeding permit conditions