3/18/14 - LSB INDUSTRIES, INC., THE LARGEST MERCHANGE MANUFACTURER OF CONCENTRATED NITRIC ACID IN NORTH AMERICA, AND 4 OF ITS SUBIDIARIES HAVE AGREED TO REDUCE HARMFUL EMISSIONS OF NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx) BY MEETING EMISSION LIMITS THAT ARE AMONG THE LOWEST FOR THE INDUSTRY IN THE NATION AT PLANTS IN ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, OKLAHOMA, AND TEXAS. HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF NOx IN THE AIR CAN IRRITATE THE LUNGS AND LOWER RESISTANCE TO RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS SUCH AS INFLUENZA. CONTINUED OR FREQUENT EXPOSURE MAY CAUSE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN CHILDREN. FURTHER, AIRBORNE NOx CAN SIGIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO ACID RAIN AND LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF SMOG.
EPA ESTIMATE THAT THE MEASURES REQUIRED BY TODAY'S SETTLEMENT WILL REDUCE NOx EMISSIONS BY MORE THAN 800 TONS PER YR, DIRECTLY BENEFITTING SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, WHICH INCLUDE LOW INCOME AND MINORITY POPULATIONS LIVING NEAR THE ARKANSAS AND TEXAS PLANTS. THE COMPANIES ESTIMATE THAT IT WILL COST BETWEEN 6.3 AND 11.7 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT THE MEASURES REQUIRED BY THE SETTLEMENT.
LSB AND ITS 4 NITRIC ACID PRODUCING SUBSIDIARIES WILL ALSO PAY A TOTAL PENALTY OF $725,000 TO RESOLVE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE CAA AND APPLICABLE OKLAHOMA STATE LAW. IN ADDITION TO PAYING THE PENALTY, THE COMPANIES MUCH CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR EMISSIONS AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS INSTALLING NEW POLLUTION CONTROLS OR UPGRADING CURRENT CONTROLS TO MEET THE NEW NOx LIMITS.
TODAY'S SETTLEMENT APPLIES TO THE TEN NIT