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U.S. ANNOUNCES CLEAN AIR SETTLEMENT WITH BP CORPORATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department and the EPA today announced an environmental settlement with BP Corporation that is expected to reduce air emissions from eight petroleum refineries by more than 40,000 tons per year.

Under the agreement filed today in U.S. District Court in Hammond, Ind., BP will spend an estimated $650 million to install up-to-date pollution-control equipment, reducing emissions from stacks, leaking valves, wastewater vents and flares, at refineries in Whiting, Ind.; Toledo, Ohio; Texas City, Texas; Yorktown, Va.; Mandan, N.D.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Carson, Cal.; and Cherry Point, Wash. BP also will pay a $10 million penalty to settle Clean Air Act violations. The states of Ohio and Indiana and the Northwest Air Pollution Authority in Washington state will join in the settlement with the United States.

BP Corporation is the parent company of Amoco Oil Company, Atlantic Richfield Co., and BP Exploration Corp., each of which operate refineries covered by the settlement.

The air pollutants addressed by today's agreement can cause serious respiratory problems, exacerbate cases of childhood asthma, and in the case of toxic air pollutants, can cause cancer and death. They include toxic air pollutants and smog-causing compounds such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides and volatile organic compounds.

The agreement will cut nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from the eight refineries by more than 40,000 tons a year, through the use of upgraded technologies. Improved leak detection and repair practices and other pollution-control upgrades will also result in significant reductions in smog-causing volatile organic compounds and benzene, a known carcinogen. The agreement also includes measures to improve safety for workers and local communities sharply reducing accidental releases of pollutants.

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