The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week a proposed settlement with Phoenix Petroleum LLC for alleged Clean Water Act violations found in a 2015 inspection. Phoenix has agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty for the violations, which included inadequate spill prevention and containment measures at two oil tank batteries in North Dakota, an EPA press release stated.
According to the EPA, the company submitted an acceptable spill prevention plan in January, along with photographic evidence of the technical corrections to the two facilities.
The Oil Pollution Prevention regulations of the Clean Water Act are intended to prevent oil spills in and around U.S. inland waters and prepare oil facility personnel to respond if a spill occurs. Oil spills from the two Phoenix tank batteries have the potential to impact the White Earth Creek, a tributary to the White Earth River, the press release stated.
“‘Adequate spill prevention plans include important requirements and measures that protect public health and the environment,’” Suzanne Bohan, director of the EPA’s Region 8 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, said in the press release. “‘EPA will ensure facilities like these tank batteries comply with the federal requirements that safeguard our communities and our rivers and streams.”’
The public has the opportunity to comment on the proposed settlement until June 26.
