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 February: COMPANY: Mobil Oil Corp, Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $75,000 VIOLATION: Public nuisance violations due to odors, various equipment violations. COMPANY: Alumax Mill Products, Riverside TYPE OF BUSINESS: Mill metal products PENALTY: $25,000 VIOLATION: Failure to offer incentives outlined in its AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. COMPANY: Harte Hanks California CDM Inc., Mira Loma TYPE OF BUSINESS: Marketing firm PENALTY: $12,500 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an updated AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan, failure to offer employee incentives outlined in its 1989 plan. The firm will devote an additional $50,000 worth of advertising space in its Pennysaver newspaper to promote ride-sharing. COMPANY: Hillcrest Beverly Oil Corp., West Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil producer PENALTY: $10,000 VIOLATION: Operating an oil storage tank with holes in its roof, having an inoperable vapor recovery system. COMPANY: Los Alamitos Medical Center, Los Alamitos Hospital PENALTY: $9,000 VIOLATION: Failure to offer employee incentives outlined in its AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan, failure to submit an annual plan update. COMPANY: Sargent Controls, Huntington Park TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aircraft and submarine parts maker PENALTY: $8,000 VIOLATION: Failure to offer incentives outlined in its AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. The firm will spend an additional $4,000 to offer extra ridesharing incentives beyond those required in its current plan. COMPANY: Harken Marketing, Riverside TYPE OF BUSINESS: Retail gas stations PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Failure to control emissions during degassing and removal of underground gasoline tanks. COMPANY: Hellman Properties, Seal Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil company PENALTY: $4,000 VIOLATION: Vapor leaks from oil well equipment, operating contrary to permit conditions. COMPANY: PGP Industries, Santa Fe Springs TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metals reclaimer PENALTY: $4,000 VIOLATION: Operating precious metals reclamation furnaces contrary to permit conditions. COMPANY: Golden West Homes, Moreno Valley TYPE OF BUSINESS: Mobile home maker PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Failure to meet transfer efficiency requirements during coating operations. COMPANY: Union Oil Co. of California, Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Gas leaks of more than 100,000 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the maximum allowed of 50,000 ppm.