According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ConocoPhillips' refinery in Borger (Texas) has violated pollution discharge limits over 2,000 times between 1999 and 2006. The two pollutants involved were selenium and toxic wastewater.The limits they repeatedly violated were imposed by the Clean Water Act. The company says it is now in compliance with that law.
After meeting with the EPA and the Justice Department, ConocoPhillips has agreed to pay $1.2 million in fines. The company has also agreed to monitor surrounding waters (including the Canadian River) for selenium, and to check the tissue of fish for selenium. They will also complete a $600,000 environmental project to control pollution during storms.
I hope the EPA is going to be double-checking these things. After the huge number of past violations, I don't think I trust the company to police itself. The Panhandle doesn't have an over-abundance of water, and we don't need any company polluting what we do have.
Too bad we don't have a Railroad Commissioner who gives a rat's ass about protecting our water.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
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