Groups Allege Thousands of Violations at Nation’s Largest Refinery/Chemical Plant Complex, Millions of Pounds of Illegal Pollution At Baytown Refinery Complex

HOUSTON – Sierra Club and Environment Texas filed a lawsuit today in federal district court against ExxonMobil Corporation and two subsidiaries to enforce thousands of violations of the Clean Air Act at the nation’s largest oil refinery and chemical plant complex, located in Baytown, Texas.

This is the groups’ third federal lawsuit in three years targeting illegal air emissions in the Houston area arising from so-called “upset” events.  It follows on the heels of ground-breaking settlements with Shell Oil Company, which paid a $5.8 million penalty and agreed to upgrade its Deer Park refinery and chemical plant, and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, which has agreed to pay a $2 million penalty and upgrade its Cedar Bayou Chemical Plant once the settlement is approved by a federal judge.

The groups say emissions from… READ MORE.