LOS ANGELES - US oil refining group Tesoro Corp. reached a $425 million settlement with the Justice Department and the US Environmental Protection Agency to resolve air quality violations. Tesoro will also spend about $12 million to fund environmental projects in local communities that were impacted by pollution and will pay $10.4 million in civil penalties, the government said. "It uses cutting-edge technology to address global environmental issues like climate change by controlling flaring and provides important reductions of harmful air pollution in communities facing environmental and health challenges." Par Hawaii currently operates one of the refineries affected by the settlement and formerly owned by Tesoro. "This settlement... will benefit the air quality in communities across the Western United States," said John Cruden, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Source: Bangkok Post July 19, 2016 01:41 UTC