Madigan announces settlement with Roxana refinery over river pollution
Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced a settlement with Phillips 66 Co., ConocoPhillips Co. and WRB Refining LP over pollution that the office said contaminated the Mississippi River.
Madigan filed a complaint and consent order on Oct. 21 in Madison County Circuit Court over violations at the Wood River Refinery in Roxana. The refinery processes crude oils to produce gasoline, asphalt, petroleum coke and other products. Wastewater resulting from refining operations must be treated at the refinery’s wastewater treatment plant before being discharged into the Mississippi River. Madigan’s complaint alleges that the refinery discharged contaminants into the river exceeding permitted levels, polluting the water. According to Madigan’s complaint, levels of contaminants including mercury and fecal coliform in the wastewater exceeded those allowed under state and federal laws.
The consent order obtained by Madigan requires the owners and operators of the refinery to install new pollution controls that will ensure contaminant levels do not violate state and federal laws.
“This action will help ensure the refinery’s operations do not further contaminate the Mississippi River and jeopardize the river’s ecosystem,” Madigan said.
The parties represent past and present owners of the refinery. Under the consent order, the operators of the refinery will be required to construct and operate a disinfection system for wastewater and implement a desalter brine pretreatment system that will remove oil and grease from wastewater and improve the treatment of wastewater at the refinery. The companies are also responsible for the payment of a civil penalty of $125,000.
Assistant Attorneys General Raymond Callery and Andrew Suthard handled the case for Madigan’s Environmental Enforcement Bureau.
