STATE OF INDIANA |
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BEFORE THE
INDIANA DEPARTMENT |
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COMMISSIONER
OF THE DEPARTMENT Complainant, v. BP
PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA, INC., Respondent. |
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AGREED ORDER
Complainant
and Respondent desire to settle and compromise this action without hearing or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and consent to the entry of the
following Findings of Fact and Order.
Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, entry into the terms of this Agreed Order does
not constitute an admission of any violation contained herein. Respondent's entry into this Agreed Order
shall not constitute a waiver of any defense, legal or equitable, which
Respondent may have in any future administrative or judicial proceeding, except
a proceeding to enforce this order.
I. FINDINGS OF FACT
1.
Complainant
is the Commissioner (“Complainant”) of the Indiana Department of Environmental
Management (“IDEM”), a department of the State of Indiana created by Indiana
Code (“IC”) 13-13-1-1.
2.
Respondent
is BP
Products North America, Inc. (“Respondent”),
which owns and operates the BP Whiting Refinery, with Plant ID No. 089-00453,
located at 2815 Indianapolis Blvd., in Whiting, Lake County, Indiana (“Site”).
3.
IDEM
has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action.
4.
Pursuant
to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation (“NOV”) via Certified Mail
to:
Douglas Sparkman, President BP
Products North America, Inc. |
501 Westlake Park Boulevard |
The Prentice-Hall Corporation System, Inc., Registered
Agent |
251 East Ohio Street Suite 500 |
5.
Respondent
owns and operates a stationary petroleum refinery and marketing terminal.
6.
During
an investigation conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violation
was found:
Pursuant to Part 70 Permit No. T089-30396-00453 (“Permit”) issued to
the Respondent on February 19, 2015, Condition D.35.8, which incorporates by
reference portions of the Consent Decree entered in Civil No. 2:12-CV-00207, requires
the Respondent to operate each covered flare with a flame present at all times.
On January 9, 2015, Respondent operated the Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit
Flare without a flare pilot present for a period of seventy (70) minutes, in
violation of Permit Condition D.35.8.
7.
Respondent
attributes the loss of the pilot flame to a wet gas flaring event, which caused
the Respondent to switch the flaring controls from automatic to manual to
increase the steam input. Once the
flaring event subsided the controls were placed back into automatic mode, which
caused the steam to rapidly increase and snuff the flare pilot.
8.
Respondent
has developed and implemented procedures to prevent an occurrence like the one
outlined above from reoccurring, including reducing filter times for the steam
to vent gas ratio controller to ensure a quicker response to dynamic
conditions, correcting the steam flow selector block logic, and developing and
implementing a controller narrative to assist the operators.
9.
In
recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent waives any right to
administrative and judicial review of this Agreed Order.
II. ORDER
1.
This
Agreed Order shall be effective (“Effective Date”) when it is approved by
Complainant or Complainant’s delegate, and has been received by
Respondent. This Agreed Order shall have
no force or effect until the Effective Date.
2.
Respondent
shall comply with Permit Condition D.35.8.
3.
All
submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless Respondent is notified
otherwise in writing by IDEM, shall be sent to:
Kevin
Sokolowski, Compliance and Enforcement Manager |
Compliance
and Enforcement Branch – Mail Code 61-53 |
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management |
100
North Senate Avenue |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204-2251 |
4.
Respondent
is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Eleven Thousand, Two Hundred
and Fifty Dollars ($11,250.00). Said penalty amount shall be due and
payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund within thirty (30) days of
the Effective Date; the 30th day being the “Due Date”.
5.
Civil
penalties are payable by check to the “Environmental Management Special Fund.”
Checks shall include the Case Number of this action and shall be mailed to:
IDEM Office
of Legal Counsel |
IGCN,
Rm N1307 |
100 N
Senate Ave |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 |
6.
This
Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon Respondent and its successors
and assigns. Respondent’s signatories to
this Agreed Order certify that they are fully authorized to execute this Agreed
Order and legally bind the party they represent. No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership
status of Respondent shall in any way alter its status or responsibilities
under this Agreed Order.
7.
In
the event that the monies due to IDEM pursuant to this Agreed Order are not
paid on or before their Due Date, Respondent shall pay interest on the unpaid
balance at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1.
The interest shall be computed as having accrued from the Due Date until
the date that Respondent pays any unpaid balance. Such interest shall be payable to the
Environmental Management Special Fund, and shall be payable to IDEM in the manner
specified in Paragraph 5, above.
8.
In
the event that any terms of this Agreed Order are found to be invalid, the
remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed
and enforced as if this Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.
9.
Respondent
shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent
owners or successors before ownership rights are transferred. Respondent shall ensure that all contractors,
firms and other persons performing work under this Agreed Order comply with the
terms of this Agreed Order.
10.
This
Agreed Order is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a
modification of an existing permit. This
Agreed Order, and IDEM’s review or approval of any submittal made by Respondent
pursuant to this Agreed Order, shall not in any way relieve Respondent of its obligation
to comply with the requirements of its applicable permit or any applicable
Federal or State law or regulation.
11.
Complainant
does not, by its approval of this Agreed Order, warrant or aver in any manner
that Respondent’s compliance with any aspect of this Agreed Order will result
in compliance with the provisions of any permit, order, or any applicable
Federal or State law or regulation.
Additionally, IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held
liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of
Respondent’s efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.
12.
Nothing
in this Agreed Order shall prevent or limit IDEM’s rights to obtain penalties
or injunctive relief under any applicable Federal or State law or regulation,
except that IDEM may not, and hereby waives its right to, seek additional civil
penalties for the same violations specified in the NOV.
13.
Nothing
in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf from
communicating with the EPA or any other agency or entity about any matters
relating to this enforcement action.
IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any
costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of such communications with
the EPA or any other agency or entity.
14.
This
Agreed Order shall remain in effect until IDEM issues a Resolution of Case
letter to Respondent.
TECHNICAL
RECOMMENDATION: |
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RESPONDENT: |
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Department
of Environmental Management |
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BP Products North America, Inc. |
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Rick
Massoels |
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Deputy
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Northwest
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COUNSEL
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Date: |
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APPROVED
AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL |
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MANAGEMENT THIS |
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DAY OF |
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2016. |
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For
the Commissioner |
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Signed
on March 8, 2016 |
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Keith
Baugues, Assistant Commissioner |
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Office
of Air Quality |
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Indiana
Department of Environmental Management |
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