2/16/15 - THE SETTLEMENT REQUIRES PCS NITROGEN FERTILIZER, AA SULFIRIC INC., AND WHITE SPRINGS AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS INC., TO INSTALL, UPGRADE AND OPERATE STATE-OF-THE-ART POLLUTION REDUCTION MEASURES, AS WELL AS INSTALL EMISSIONS MONITORS AT 8 SULFURIC ACID PLANTS ACROSS FACILITIES IN GEISMAR, LA (ONE PLANT); WHITE SPRINGS, FL (4 PLANTS); AND AURORA, NC (3 PLANTS). THE 3 COMPANIES WILL SPEND AN ESTIMATED $50 MILLION ON THESE MEASURES AND WILL PAY A $1.3 MILLION CIVIL PENALTY.
PCS NITROGEN FERTILIZER, AA SULFURIC, INC., AND WHITE SPRINGS AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS, INC., ARE PARTIES TO THE CD. THE POTASH CORPORATION OF SASKATCHEWAN IS THE PARENT CORPORATION OF ALL THREE COMPANIES AND IS THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF FERTILIZER IN THE WORLD.
VIOLATIONS:
THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGES THAT THE COMPANIES CONSTRUCTED OR MADE MODIFICATIONS TO ITS SULFURIC ACID PLANTS, RESULTING IN INCREASED EMISSIONS OF SULFURIC DIOXIDE WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING PRE-CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND INSTALLING REQUIRED POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT, IN VIOLATION OF:
- CAA PREVENTION OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORIATION AND TITLE V PERMITTING REUQIREMENT PROVISIONS, 42 U.S.C. SECTIONS 7470-7492, 7661-7661f.
- THE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPs) OF FLORIDA, LOUISIANA, AND NC, 42 U.S.C. 7410.
- THE CAA NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, 42 U.S.C. SECTION 7411, AND THE REGS AT 40 CFR SUBPARTS A AND H, INCLUDING THE SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS LIMIT AND THE REQUIREMENT TO INSTALL, CALIBRATE, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A CONTIN