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 April: COMPANY: Thrifty Oil Corp. Downey TYPE OF BUSINESS: Gasoline storage and dispensing operation PENALTY: $44,300 VIOLATION: Failure to properly maintain vapor recovery equipment on gasoline storage and dispensing units at 14 of its gas stations. COMPANY: State Iron & Metal Co.,Santa Fe Springs TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal recovery firm PENALTY: $30,000 VIOLATION: Smoke emissions and violations of permit conditions due to unclean and oily material being placed in a furnace. COMPANY: Canam Metal Products, San Bernardino TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal cabinet maker PENALTY: $25,000 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from solvent use, operating a solvent still without a valid permit, various record-keeping violations. COMPANY: Thermal Combustion Innovators, Colton TYPE OF BUSINESS: Medical waste incineration plant PENALTY: $20,000 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an application to construct for each incinerator at the site, failure to submit an emissions control plan, continuing to operate until new equipment is installed. The firm also waives the right to sell to a third party its emissions reduction credits created by the shutdown or reduced usage of one or two existing natural gas fired autoclaves, a settlement valued at $12,000. COMPANY: IDM Construction Corp., Long Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Construction firm PENALTY: $8,000 VIOLATION: Failure to wet, cover and properly store asbestos containing material during the demolition of a Riverside property. COMPANY: City Fibers, Corona TYPE OF BUSINESS: Landfill PENALTY: $7,000 VIOLATION: Failure to submit a compliance plan and failure to maintain equipment in good working condition, which allowed landfill gas to leak. COMPANY: Lockheed Aircraft Service Co., Ontario TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aircraft company PENALTY: $7,000 VIOLATION: Failure to wet, cover and properly store asbestos containing materials. COMPANY: Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Long Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Airplane interior manufacturer PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Excessive hydrocarbons from coating operations, solvent usage and from use of non-compliant coatings. COMPANY: Wilmington Liquid Bulk, Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Marine terminal facility PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Violations involving an internal floating roof tank and excessive hydrocarbons from its carbon absorption system. COMPANY: Area Trade Bindery Co., Burbank TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pamphlet binder PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. COMPANY: Southern Pacific Transportation Co., Bloomington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Railroad PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Black smoke emissions from its locomotives. COMPANY: Wilsey Foods, City of Industry TYPE OF BUSINESS: Food maker PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to submit an AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan.