In accordance with the EPA’s National Enforcement Initiatives for 2011-
2013, the agency is scrutinizing large emission sources to reduce air pollution.
The focus of this effort is to improve industry compliance with new source
review provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). In 2010, the EPA’s enforcement
efforts led to $1.4 billion in pollution controls and $14 million in civil
penalties.
Terra Industries Inc., a nitrogen fertilizer and nitric acid producer, has
entered into a consent decree with the EPA and DOJ to settle violations
alleged at nine plants in three states. The plants – located in Verdigris and
Woodward, OK, Sergeant Bluff, IA, and Yazoo City, MS - allegedly failed
to obtain necessary pre-construction and operating permits, install the
best available air pollution control technology, comply with air emission
limits, and comply with emission monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting
requirements. The consent decree for these alleged violations requires the
installation of new pollution controls and technologies at a cost of $17 million
in addition to civil penalties payable to the United States, Oklahoma, Iowa and
Mississippi, totaling $625,000.