Mobil to Pay Fines for Pollution

Mobil Oil Corp. pleaded no contest this week in South Bay Municipal Court to two charges of violating state air pollution standards in separate incidents at its Torrance refinery.

The oil company agreed to pay $5,150 in fines and penalties for the misdemeanor violations. Each violation carries a $1,000 fine, plus charges for court and investigative costs.

A Mobil official declined to comment on the pleas.

One charge concerned an incident March 9 in which dense black smoke was released for four minutes. Such releases are permitted for no more than three minutes.

The day before, foul-smelling fumes blowing from the direction of the refinery had sickened students and teachers at Philip Magruder Middle School. Refinery officials said they were unable to determine any malfunction but agreed to pay the bills of the eight students and two teachers who were hospitalized. No charges were filed in that incident.

The other charge that Mobil decided not to contest accused the oil company of releasing sulfurous compounds from the refinery June 19. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which investigated this incident, said it received 24 complaints about the smell from residents.