EPA Settles with Chevron, Levies Penalty, for Hazardous Waste Violations

LOS ANGELES – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Chevron USA Inc. for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at the company’s facility in Montebello, CA. Montebello is a historically marginalized and overburdened community that experiences high cumulative pollution exposure. EPA under the Biden Administration is prioritizing the use of enforcement tools to advance environmental justice. Under this settlement, the company will pay a $132,676 civil penalty.

“EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by inspecting facilities that manage hazardous waste and requiring companies to comply when violations are found,” said EPA Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Amy Miller. “It is critical that facilities like Chevron maintain compliance with federal hazardous waste regulations. If they don’t, they will face significant penalties.”

The Montebello facility is a petroleum bulk storage terminal which receives gasoline and diesel fuel by pipeline from the Chevron El Segundo Refinery and blends them into petroleum products. These products are loaded onto commercial trucks at the tanker truck loading rack. The Montebello Facility also operates a tank farm with ten aboveground storage tanks to store products.

An October 2019 EPA inspection of the facility identified violations of federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations, including failure to conduct assessments and maintain certifications for tanks storing hazardous waste and failure to maintain records regarding compliance with RCRA Air Emission Requirements.

In response to the inspection findings, the facility agreed to pay the civil penalty and  comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements. Federal law requires facilities that generate hazardous waste to implement safe generation, handling, transportation, and disposal practices. Improper management of hazardous waste may cause harm to public health and the environment.