Marathon Petroleum has signed an agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice to reduce air pollution from the company’s petroleum refineries.
As part of the agreement, the company will cut pollution at its refineries in Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio and pay a $326,500 civil penalty.
The company will invest $319m to install flare gas recovery systems (FGRS) that capture and recycle gases.
Another $15.55m will be spent on projects to reduce air pollution at three of the refineries.
Marathon will also invest about $6m to close a flare system at the fence line of its Detroit refinery, and $9.55m on projects to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions at its Canton and Garyville refineries.
By installing advanced pollution controls, Marathon will help reduce hazardous emissions that can cause respiratory and cardiovascular health impacts.
Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division Assistant Attorney General John Cruden said: "This agreement continues the significant pollution reductions achieved under our earlier consent decree with Marathon in 2012.
"All five communities near these refineries will breathe cleaner air as a result of this agreement and Detroit will see a reduction in flaring at the refinery’s fence line."
EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance assistant administrator Cynthia Giles said: "When companies like Marathon install state-of-the-art pollution controls, they reduce air pollution in some of our most vulnerable communities.
"By updating this agreement, we are furthering our commitment to protect communities across the Southeast and the Midwest, especially places like Detroit that are overburdened by pollution."
The latest investment will allow Marathon to improve air quality for residents in southeast Michigan.
Upon implementation, the agreement is expected to reduce harmful air pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxides and NOx, by about 1,037t per year.
In 2012, Marathon agreed to reduce air pollution from flares by generating less waste gas and installing new equipment to make flares burn more efficiently.
