View the full gallery
Action Center
youtube.gif
facebook.gif
twitter.gif
donate.jpg
speaker.png
your_story.png
CALACTX-looneybutton.png

Texas AG sues BP for Texas refinery pollution

Business Insurance
August 9, 2010

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is suing BP P.L.C. for excess pollution in April and May from the energy giant's massive Texas City, Texas, refinery, his office said Monday.

Mr. Abbott said in a statement that the lawsuit could cost BP millions of dollars in fines for pollution released during the 40-day malfunction of a refinery unit.

A BP spokesman had no immediate comment about Monday's lawsuit.

The Texas lawsuit contends BP was motivated by profits when it allowed more than 500,000 pounds of pollutants to be released into the air, including 17,000 pounds of benzene, a known carcinogen, between April 6 and May 16.

"BP made very little attempt to minimize the emission of air contaminants caused by its actions, once again prioritizing profits over environmental compliance," according to the lawsuit.

Previously, BP has said air monitors around the refinery found no increase in pollution while a malfunctioning hydrocracking unit at the 465,000-barrel-per-day refinery was operating at 55% capacity due to a compressor breakdown.

This is the second lawsuit Abbott is pursuing against BP for pollution at the Texas City refinery. That lawsuit includes a deadly 2005 explosion at the Texas City refinery that killed 15 workers and injured 180 other people.

READ MORE:http://www.businessinsurance.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100809/NEWS01/100809929