Coffeyville Resources Refining, EPA agree to $2.3 million in fines for 2007 spill
BY ROD WALTON World Staff Writer
Thursday, February 14, 2013
2/14/13 at 4:47 AM
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. - A refiner will pay $2.3 million in fines and reimbursements for discharging crude oil and diesel fuel into the Verdigris River during a flood nearly six years ago.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing LLC have agreed on a $556,244 civil penalty to settle violations of the Clean Water Act by the company. Coffeyville Resources also will pay approximately $1.75 million to reimburse the federal government for response costs in the river's cleanup.
"The settlement with CRRM requires the company to make upgrades to its facility that will protect human health and the environment from future spills," EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said in a statement. "In addition to these changes, CRRM is required to pay back the taxpayers for the response costs associated with cleaning up their spill."
On July 1, 2007, the Verdigris River overflowed its banks and flooded the Coffeyville refinery. Crude oil spilled out from a storage tank, while diesel fuel and oily water also leaked into the watershed.
Federal officials estimated the discharge at about 2,145 barrels. City officials previously said the flood water and oil mix caused about $15.8 million in residential and commercial damages to the city.
City Manager Gary Bradley said the refiner has already compensated private property owners for those damages.
"They ended up acquiring a lot of properties," Bradley said. "This (latest settlement) is to compensate the federal government for its costs."
Coffeyville Resources is a subsidiary of Sugar Land, Texas-based CVR Refining LP. The Coffeyville refinery produces about 115,000 barrels per day of gasoline, diesel and propane.
CVR also owns the Wynnewood refinery in south central Oklahoma.
Original Print Headline: Refiner agrees to $2.3M in fines
Rod Walton 918-581-8457
rod.walton@tulsaworld.com
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