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 eight companies that incurred violations resulting in penalties of $2,500 or greater in August: COMPANY: International Surfacing Inc., Diamond Bar, Rancho Cucamonga TYPE OF BUSINESS: Road surfacing firm PENALTY: $25,000 VIOLATION: Operating without proper permits, dense white smoke emissions from tanker trucks while applying a rubberized seal to roadways. *

COMPANY: Mobil Oil Corp., Torrance TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $25,000 VIOLATION: Public nuisance violation from odors, failure to obtain permits to operate a tank and two carbon canisters. *

COMPANY: Shell Oil Co., Carson TYPE OF BUSINESS: Refinery PENALTY: $8,500 VIOLATION: Public nuisance violation from odors, operating a tank contrary to permit conditions. *

COMPANY: Southern Pacific Transportation Co., Bloomington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Railroad PENALTY: $6,000 VIOLATION: Excessive black smoke emissions from two diesel locomotives in October, 1993. *

COMPANY: Southern Pacific Transportation Co., Bloomington TYPE OF BUSINESS: Railroad PENALTY: $4,000 VIOLATION: Excessive black smoke emissions from a diesel locomotive in February, 1993. *

COMPANY: AMVAC Chemical Corp., Los Angeles TYPE OF BUSINESS: Pesticide maker PENALTY: $3,500 VIOLATION: Public nuisance violation from emissions release, operating equipment contrary to permit conditions. *

COMPANY: McWhorter Technologies Inc., Lynwood TYPE OF BUSINESS: Resin maker PENALTY: $3,000 VIOLATION: Failure to properly maintain storage tanks, which leaked organic liquids. *

COMPANY: Black Hawk Oil Co., Anaheim TYPE OF BUSINESS: Oil producer PENALTY: $2,500 VIOLATION: Excessive volatile organic compound emissions from a hole in the roof of a crude oil storage tank.