Standards To Target Benzene Emissions Beginning In 2018
The EPA has announced new regulations on refinery emissions designed to regulate air pollution, particularly emissions of benzene. The rule mandates “continuous monitoring of benzene concentrations at the fenceline of refinery facilities to ensure that refineries appropriately manage toxic emissions.” The EPA said that full implementation of the rule “will result in a reduction of 5,200 tons per year of toxic air pollutants, and 50,000 tons per year of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).” Commenting on the rule, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy noted, “These updated Clean Air Act standards will lower the cancer risk from petroleum refineries for more than 1.4 million people and are a substantial step forward in EPA’s work to protect the health of vulnerable communities located near these facilities.” The AP noted that McCarthy said the rules are designed to “protect the health of more than 6 million people who live within 3 miles of a refinery” and will function as a “neighborhood watch for toxic pollutants” near the 140 petroleum refineries in the US, including dozens along the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama coasts. According to the Los Angeles Times, “The rules drew praise” from environmentalists and community groups for “bringing health benefits to predominately Latino and African American communities near oil refineries that have long fought for stricter regulations to control pollution, noise and smoke from the sprawling operations.”
What Happens Next
The proposed rule is set to take full effect in 2018. The Washington Examiner noted that the EPA believes the regulation will cost the refining industry $283 million overall, or about $63 million annually, while removing 660,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the air annually in addition to VOCs and toxic pollutants.
What This Means For Small Businesses
The new refinery emissions rule is the latest example of aggressive regulatory overreach on the part of the EPA, and small businesses in the refining industry will bear the brunt of these costs. If implemented as planned, small businesses are likely to see cost burdens from adjusting processes to limit emissions.
Additional Reading
The Hill, NPR, and Reuters also covered the new EPA refinery emissions rules.
Note: this article is intended to keep small business owners up on the latest news. It does not necessarily represent the policy stances of NFIB.
