Phillips 66 Settles with Air District Over Rodeo Refinery Violations

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A settlement over air quality violations by a Phillips 66 refinery in Rodeo was reached between the company and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, air district officials announced Wednesday.

The settlement calls for Phillips 66 to pay the air district $793,250, which will be used for pay for work by the air district similar to the inspections and enforcement that led to the settlement. The settlement resulted from 87 violations from 2010 to 2014. Each of the violations have been corrected, air district officials said.

"This settlement represents a series of enforcement actions that will help prevent future violations and protect the local community," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said in a statement.

About one-third of the violations in 2010 stemmed from an unplanned shutdown on Oct. 22 that led to four emissions violations, two of which resulted in heavy smoke from flaring.

The following year, odor from the refinery resulted in violations related to three public nuisances, according to the air district. In 2012, the company caused a public nuisance and was cited for a number of ground-level monitor excesses on June 15 and 16 when a sour water tank ruptured and sent gases, including hydrogen sulfide, into the air, air district officials said.

The rest of the notices stemmed from minor violations such as missed or late tests, short-lived emissions-related violations and minor administrative violations.

By Bay City News

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