Date
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
The Air District joined the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other local agencies to reach a settlement to reduce harmful air emissions at Lehigh Cement and Lehigh White Cement portland cement manufacturing plants nationwide, including their Cupertino plant.
The settlement was reached between federal and local agencies and Lehigh Cement to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. As part of the settlement, Lehigh will invest $12 million in pollution control technology at 11 of their portland cement manufacturing plants, three of which are in California.
In addition to investing in pollution control technology, Lehigh will:
- Pay $119,353 to the Air District as part of a total of $1.3 million in civil penalties to U.S. EPA and state and local regulatory agencies.
- Be required to meet tightened emission limits of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide.
- Embark on a “test and set” protocol over the next year to determine the lowest possible sulfur dioxide emissions rate that can be attained at the Cupertino facility.
- Address visible emissions of kiln stack plumes by preparing a protocol specifically for the Cupertino facility which details all steps taken to mitigate the excess emissions.
Nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide are two key pollutants emitted from cement plants that are damaging to the environment and can cause health impacts. The reduction of these pollutants is also expected to significantly reduce fine particulate matter emissions from the facility.
The settlement was lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. It will be available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
More information about this settlement: https://bit.ly/360nk7b.
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Last Updated: 12/3/2019