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 $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 caused by negligence and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 top penalties in February: COMPANY: Chemoil Refinery Corp, Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Storage facility PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Public nuisance violation from operating a vacuum truck which released reactive organic compound emissions. COMPANY: American National Can Co, Industry TYPE OF BUSINESS: Metal lid maker PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Operating a baking oven above the facility’s permitted limits. COMPANY: Cal Finished Metal Inc, Rancho Cucamonga TYPE OF BUSINESS: Steel coil coating firm PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Failure to use appropriate air pollution controls to reduce reactive organic compound emissions. COMPANY: J & J Gunite, Compton TYPE OF BUSINESS: Swimming pool installer PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to obtain a permit to operate its gasoline storage and dispensing facility, failure to install and maintain vapor recovery equipment. COMPANY: The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills TYPE OF BUSINESS: Hotel PENALTY: $2,500 VIOLATION: Operating a boiler beyond the permit’s allowable limit. COMPANY: Bob’s Body Shop, San Bernardino TYPE OF BUSINESS: Automobile paint and body shop PENALTY: $2,500 VIOLATION: Failure to properly maintain coating records, excessive hydrocarbons from exceeding the spray booth usage limits. COMPANY: Hopkins Development & G.W. Rowe, La Mirada TYPE OF BUSINESS: Demolition and construction firm PENALTY: $2,500 VIOLATION: Improperly handling materials containing asbestos, failure to give proper written notice of intent to demolish a structure containing asbestos. COMPANY: Arco, Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil refinery PENALTY: $1,500 VIOLATION: Failure to maintain daily records of spray booth’s coating and solvent usage. COMPANY: Ryan Murphy Inc., Corona TYPE OF BUSINESS: Environmental services PENALTY: $1,500 VIOLATION: Failure to notify the AQMD of soil contamination within 24 hours of its detection, failure to take proper measures to cover soil contaminated by reactive organic compounds. COMPANY: Arco Terminal Service Corp., Long Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pipeline transfer facility PENALTY: $950 VIOLATION: Line valve leakage of an organic compound liquid.