Valero fined $186,000 for air violations

TEXAS CITY — Valero’s Texas City refinery was fined $186,000 by the state’s environmental agency for 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 an inspection at the refinery on Jan. 13, according to a statement from the agency.

The inspection came during a 48-hour release of pollutants Jan. 12-14. About 2,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide was released, according to state 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 to the state agency.

Valero spokesman Fred Newhouse initially said the fine and emissions happened at the refinery’s coker unit but later said the fines were unrelated to that incident.

Instead, the fines are part of an agreed order issued by the state agency and not associated with any specific emissions event, Newhouse said.

Since the fine is part of an agreed order, the company will not contest the fine, 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.