Oil refinery slammed with $169 million penalty following EPA settlement: 'Jeopardized the health of … residents'

The chickens are coming home to roost for Lima Refining Company. The Ohio refinery violated the Clean Air Act, exposing surrounding residents to dangerous chemicals like benzene.

Now, the Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department are cracking down with $169 million in penalties and required improvements.

What's happening?

As the Toledo Blade reported, Lima Refining will have to pay $19 million in a civil penalty and a further $150 million to fund improvements as part of a settlement with the federal agencies.

That $150 million will go to sharply reducing the refinery's pollution. The Justice Department's statement estimates that each year, the funding will reduce benzene pollution by 4.34 tons, other hazardous air pollutants by 16.26 tons, and volatile organic compound emissions by 219 tons.

"Under the settlement, the refinery will implement controls that will greatly improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the overburdened community that surrounds the refinery," said assistant attorney general Todd Kim, per the Blade.

Why is holding major polluters accountable important?

It is imperative that regulators enforce the law and protect local residents from violations of the Clean Air Act.

In Lima Refining's case, one specifically scary part of the saga was the plant's benzene pollution. Exposure to the carcinogen is strongly linked to increasing the risk of leukemia. Hiding the dangers of benzene is nothing new, with Shell allegedly lying to regulators about the extent of its health effects.

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As U.S. attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko said in a statement per the Blade, Lima Refining Co. "jeopardized the health of Ohio's residents."

"Ohioans should not have to worry about living and working in an area where air pollution from local industry could make them sick," she added.

It's become clear from their pattern of lawbreaking that major polluters do a poor job of self-regulating their pollution. It is up to regulators to come in with heavy fines and enforcement to force them to pay a price and literally clean up their act.

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What's being done about Lima Refining and others' violations?

Sharp deterrents like major monetary penalties are probably the biggest cog in the fight against polluters.

In the case of oil refineries and benzene, the efforts are off to a great start, with the number of refineries releasing it down 50% since 2020, according to the Environmental Integrity Project nonprofit.

Another key resource is whistleblowers and watchdogs that can report and amplify polluters to the proper authorities and hold the authorities to account if they're not doing their jobs.

Surveillance of gas leaks through satellites is a growing tool activist groups have to identify and stem local pollution. Multiple methane-detecting rockets have been launched in 2024 by these groups to monitor offenders globally.