Valero Refining Company has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $300,300 to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for air quality violations at its Benicia refinery, air district officials said.
The refinery was the target of 33 violation notices issued by the air district between 2011 and 2012, and the settlement resolves all of them, according to the air district.
The violations ranged from omissions in a database related to the refinery's valves and connectors to short-term emission excesses, according to the district. None of the violations was considered a serious risk to the public.
"The penalty against Valero serves as a reminder to the industry to be more vigilant in daily maintenance and operations," air district executive officer Jack Broadbent said.
The money will be used to fund air district activities such as inspection and enforcement, according to the district.
