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 11 top penalties in March: COMPANY: Mervyn’s Dept. Stores, Downey, Glendale stores TYPE OF BUSINESS: Retail firm PENALTY: $55,000 VIOLATION: Failure to offer and carry out ride-sharing incentives as required by its AQMD-approved ride-sharing plan. *COMPANY: A.M.Pumping Inc. (doing business as A.M. Environmental Co.), Wilmington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Degassing, tank rinsing firm PENALTY: $17,500 VIOLATION: Failure to monitor carbon emissions and, without notice, venting the saturated pollutant directly into the air. The company also surrendered its degassing permit and terminated that portion of its business. *COMPANY: Huntington Beach Co., Huntington Beach TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil production field PENALTY: $15,000 VIOLATION: Operating two wash tanks and two crude oil shipping tanks while the gas gathering system was blocked, preventing recovery of organic vapors. *COMPANY: Chevron U.S.A., El Segundo TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $13,000 VIOLATION: Reactive organic compound emissions between March and May, 1992. *COMPANY: Chevron U.S.A., El Segundo TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $13,000 VIOLATION: Reactive organic compound emissions between May and August, 1992. *COMPANY: Paramount Petroleum Corp., Paramount TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $8,000 VIOLATION: Reactive organic compound emissions from five sources. *COMPANY: Hi-Shear Corp., Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Aerospace aircraft fastener maker PENALTY: $7,500 VIOLATION: Failure to supply an adequate flow of water to the packing section of the scrubber. *COMPANY: Tishman West Co., Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Property management firm PENALTY: $5,500 VIOLATION: Excessive nitrogen oxide emissions from operating an internal combustion engine. *COMPANY: International Paper Co., Commerce TYPE OF BUSINESS: Wax box maker PENALTY: $5,250 VIOLATION: Violating carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide limits. *COMPANY: Major Paint Co., Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Paint manufacturer PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Failure to maintain daily records of materials containing reactive organic compounds. *COMPANY: Mobil Oil Co., Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $5,000 VIOLATION: Failure to install the proper vapor recovery equipment on a storage tank.