Pipeline firms penalized for spills

DALLAS – In the latest joint federal-state Clean Water Act enforcement action, Sunoco Pipeline agreed to pay civil penalties, state enforcement costs, and to implement corrective measures to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and state environmental laws. The penalties by Sunoco and Mid-Valley Pipeline Co. stem from three crude oil spills in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The U.S. Justice Department, EPA, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) jointly announced the settlement. Under a proposed consent decree lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Sunoco will pay the U.S. $5M in federal civil penalties for Clean Water Act violations, and pay LDEQ $436,274.20 for civil penalties and response costs to resolve claims asserted in a complaint filed today. Additionally, Sunoco agreed to take actions to prevent future spills. (Source: EPA 01/31/19)