TCEQ fines Valero for air emission event

Editor's note: This is an updated version of a story originally posted Wednesday night. It clarifies a mis-statement from a Valero official about the fine and related incidents.

TEXAS CITY — Valero’s Texas City refinery was fined $186,000 by the state’s environmental agency over five air violations found during an inspection in January, state and company officials confirmed.

The fines issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Wednesday were for violations found during a inspection at the refinery on Jan. 13, according to a statement from the agency. The inspection came during a 48-hour emissions event that happened Jan. 12-14 at the Texas City refinery. During that time, about 2,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide was released, according to TCEQ records.

There also was a minimal amount of hydrogen sulfide released, according to the state report. The release came through the unit’s incinerator control device; the company reported it is filing with the TCEQ.

Valero spokesman Fred Newhouse initially said the fine and emissions event happened earlier this year at the refinery’s coker unit, but later said that the fines were unrelated to that incident. Instead the fines are part of an agreed order issued by the TCEQ and not associated with any specific emissions event, Newhouse said.

State officials said $93,200 of the fine would go to replace old school buses in Galveston County with buses that run on alternative fuel or clean diesel.

Newhouse said the company would not contest the state fine.