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 December: COMPANY: Novacap Inc. Valencia TYPE OF BUSINESS: Capacitor and electronic component manufacturer PENALTY: $225,000 VIOLATION: Operating five ovens without permits, excessive organic material emissions. COMPANY: Lucas Western City of Industry TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aircraft parts supplier PENALTY: $20,000 VIOLATION: Failure to obtain a permit to operate a methanol fuel storage tank, excessive hydrocarbons from solvent use. COMPANY: Separation and Recovery Systems Irvine TYPE OF BUSINESS: Waste oil processor PENALTY: $20,000 VIOLATION: Operating a sludge dewatering centrifuge contrary to permit conditions at a Signal Hill facility. COMPANY: Atlantic Richfield Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $15,000 VIOLATION: Failure to properly seal a gauging hatch, causing a fuel gas leak exceeding 50,000 parts per million. COMPANY: TRW Inc. Redondo Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aerospace firm PENALTY: $15,000 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coating and solvent use, failure to meet transfer efficiency requirements for wood coatings. COMPANY: Union Oil of California Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $12,000 VIOLATION: Rule violations involving pipe vapor leaks, smoke emissions from its sulfuric acid plant. COMPANY: Sargent Fletcher Co. El Monte TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aircraft parts maker PENALTY: $6,500 VIOLATION: Failure to implement an AQMD ride-sharing plan, approved in 1989, and failure to submit an annual updated plan in September, 1991. COMPANY: Woodmill Products Fullerton TYPE OF BUSINESS: Wood housewares manufacturer PENALTY: $6,000 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from storing solvent-soaked rags in open containers and from coating operations, failure to obtain a permit to operate various pieces of equipment. COMPANY: P. Kay Metal Supply Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal recycler PENALTY: $4,000 VIOLATION: For one day of operating its lead smelter without venting emissions to an air pollution control system. COMPANY: Medtronic Inc. Anaheim TYPE OF BUSINESS: Medical equipment maker PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to implement incentives in its ride-sharing plan, failure to submit an annual updated plan. COMPANY: Southern Pacific Transportation & Railroad Co. Bloomington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Railroad PENALTY: $3,000 Smoke emissions from the stack of a diesel locomotive. COMPANY: Yorba Linda Car Wash Yorba Linda TYPE OF BUSINESS: Car wash and service station PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to properly maintain gasoline pump vapor recovery equipment.