DEFENDANTS CEMEX, INC., CEMEX CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS SOUTH, LLC AND CEMEX CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ATLANTIC, LLC WILL INVEST APPROX $10 MILLION TO CUT EMISSIONS OF HARMFUL AIR POLLUTION AT 5 CEMENT MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN AL, KY, TN, AND TX TO RESOLVE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE CAA. UNDER THE CD, CEMEX WILL ALSO PAY A $1.69 MILLION PENALTY, CONDUCT ENERGY AUDITS, AND SPEND $150,000 ON ENERGY EFFICIENT PROJECTS TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF PAST EXCESS NOx EMISSIONS FROM ITS FACILITIES. THE FIVE CEMEX FACILITIES PRODUCE PORTLAND CEMENT, A KEY INGREDIENT IN CONCRETE, MORTAR, AND STUCCO, AND ARE LOCATED IN DEMOPOLIS, AL; LOUISVILLE, KY; KNOXVILLE, TN; NEW BRAUNFELS AND ODESSA, TX. THE KNOX COUNTY, TN, AND LOUISVILLE, KY, AIR POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITIES PARTICIPATED IN THIS SETTLEMENT.
CEMEX IS REQUIRED TO INSTALL POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL REDUCE EMISSIONS OF NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx) AND ESTABLISH STRICT LIMITS FOR SULFUR DIOXIDE (SO2) EMISSIONS, WHICH WILL IMPROVE AIR QUALITY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. CEMEX WILL INSTALL AND CONTINUOUSLY OPERATE A SELECTIVE NON-CATALYTIC REDUCTION SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING NOx AT THE 5 PLANTS AND MEET EMISSION LIMITS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT BEST AVAILABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR NOx. EPA ESTIMATES THIS WILL RESULT IN NOx EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS OF OVER 4,000 TONS PER YEAR. EACH FACILITY WILL ALSO BE SUBJECT TO STRICT CO2 EMISSION LIMITS.
NOx AND SO2, TWO KEY POLLUTANTS EMITTED FROM CEMENT PLANTS, HAVE NUMEROUS ADVERSE EFFECTS ON HU