EPA issues penalty to Chevron for hazardous waste violations at California site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Chevron USA Inc. on Aug. 26 for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at the company’s facility in Montebello, California. Under this settlement, the San Ramon, California-based company will pay a $132,676 civil penalty.

The Montebello facility is a petroleum bulk storage terminal which receives gasoline and diesel fuel by pipeline from the Chevron El Segundo Refinery. This fuel is then blended into petroleum products and loaded onto commercial trucks at a tanker truck loading rack. The Montebello facility also operates a tank farm with 10 aboveground storage tanks to store products.

An October 2019 EPA inspection of the facility identified violations of federal RCRA regulations, including failure to conduct assessments and maintain certifications for tanks storing hazardous waste and failure to maintain records regarding compliance with RCRA air emission requirements.

In response to the inspection findings, the facility’s operator agreed to pay the civil penalty and comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements. Federal law requires facilities that generate hazardous waste to implement safe generation, handling, transportation and disposal practices.

“EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by inspecting facilities that manage hazardous waste and requiring companies to comply when violations are found,” EPA Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Amy Miller says. “It is critical that facilities like Chevron maintain compliance with federal hazardous waste regulations. If they don’t, they will face significant penalties.”

According to the EPA, Montebello is a historically marginalized and overburdened community that experiences high cumulative pollution exposure. EPA under the Biden administration is prioritizing the use of enforcement tools to advance environmental justice in such marginalized areas.