Top Air Pollution Penalties

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility to control air pollution. It can seek court-imposed fines against polluters of from $25 to $25,000 a day based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional, accidental or due to negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 top penalties in May: COMPANY: Texaco Refinery & Marketing, Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $107,500 VIOLATION: Failure to properly maintain a vapor recovery system, public nuisance violation due to odors from liquid and vapor leaks, excessive visible emissions from a flare, improper seal replacement, allowing cargo trucks and trailers to unload gasoline without a vapor recovery system and without valid California Air Resources Board certification stickers. COMPANY: MGM Transformer Co., Commerce TYPE OF BUSINESS: Electric transformer and metal housing manufacturer PENALTY: $40,000 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coatings and solvent use, failure to maintain daily usage records. COMPANY: Interstate Brands Corp./Dolly Madison, Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Commercial bakery PENALTY: $28,500 VIOLATION: Operating two doughnut fryers without a permit, excessive visible emissions from a venting stack on a deep fryer. Money to be spent on engineering equipment and installation of emission control equipment. COMPANY: The Dot Printer, Irvine TYPE OF BUSINESS: Printer PENALTY: $19,225 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. Money to be used to purchase a van for its van pool. COMPANY: Loral Aeronutronic, Newport Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Electronic defense system manufacturer PENALTY: $13,000 VIOLATION: Operating equipment without a permit. COMPANY: Scotsman Mobile Offices, Riverside TYPE OF BUSINESS: Mobile building manufacturer PENALTY: $12,000 VIOLATION: Failure to obtain a permit to operate open air spraying equipment, failure to achieve required paint transfer efficiency. COMPANY: Owens-Brockway Plastic Products, La Mirada TYPE OF BUSINESS: Plastic bottle manfacturer PENALTY: $10,600 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. COMPANY: Panorama Community Hospital, Panorama City TYPE OF BUSINESS: Health care facility PENALTY: $8,000 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. COMPANY: Angelica Healthcare Service Group, Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Industrial laundry PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. Money to be spent converting three trucks to propane fuel. COMPANY: Murray’s Iron Works, Culver City TYPE OF BUSINESS: Wrought-iron furniture painter PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from spray-painting operation, failure to achieve required paint transfer efficiency. COMPANY: RFR Associates, Huntington Park TYPE OF BUSINESS: Wood furniture manufacturer PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coating and solvent use.