Oh No! Exxon Mobil May Face Up To $375,000 In Fines From TX After Baytown Explosion & Fire

$375,000!!! Oh. My. God.

The state of Texas is suing Exxon Mobil for environmental violations, including releasing millions of gallons of firefighting wastewater into the Houston Ship Channel after the petrochemical giant’s most recent fire and explosion in Baytown.

The lawsuit, filed by the attorney general on behalf of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, seeks injunctive relief, civil penalties exceeding $100,000, attorney’s fees and court costs for alleged violations of the Texas Clean Air Act and the Texas Water Code. It follows the filing of a lawsuit by Harris County on Aug. 1 — a day after the company’s plant erupted in flames and injured at least 37 people. The July 31 fire at the Baytown Olefins Plant released a plume of black smoke visible for miles. For several hours, the City of Baytown issued an order to shelter in place to residents who live west of the plant and south of Texas State Highway Spur 330.

EDIT

Exxon Mobil likely will try to get the cases consolidated in Travis County, where the attorney general’s case is filed, said Victor Flatt, an environmental law professor at University of Houston. “This is the state most likely trying to assert its primacy to bring the case to take it away from Harris County and they could potentially seek softer penalties. I’m not sure if they will or not, but it’s possible,” Flatt said.

EDIT

Each violation of the state water code could amount to penalties of up to $25,000 per a day. That could mean Exxon Mobil faces up to $375,000 in penalties, not including the cost of any plant upgrades that could be required, said Adrian Shelley, director of the Texas office of Public Citizen, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

EDIT

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/State-sues-ExxonMobile-over-environmental-14284024.php