TCEQ approves fines totaling $2,067,823

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality today approved penalties totaling $1,831,176 against 47 regulated entities for violations of state environmental regulations.

Agreed orders were issued for the following enforcement categories: five air quality, two industrial hazardous waste, five multi-media, two municipal solid waste, five municipal waste discharge, 14 petroleum storage tank, six public water system, and three utility.

Default orders were issued for the following categories: one air quality, one industrial hazardous waste, one municipal solid waste, and one water quality.

Penalties were assessed in a public water system case following hearings at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

In addition, on Dec. 20, 2012,  Jan. 22, and Jan. 25, 2013 the executive director approved 102 agreed orders, each $7,500 or less, totaling $236,647.

Included in the total are fines of $757,153 against Pasadena Refining System, Inc. in Harris County, for ten air-quality violations stemming from investigations conducted from May-Aug. 2010. Of that total, $378,576 will be used by Houston-Galveston AERCO to replace older diesel buses with cleaner alternative fuel or clean diesel models.

Also included in the total are fines of $592,868 against Exide Technologies in Collin County, for 12 industrial hazardous waste violations stemming from an inspection on June 29, 2011. Of that total, $296,434 will be used to fund tire collection events and cleanup of abandoned tire sites in Collin County.

The TCEQ's next agenda meeting is scheduled for Feb. 13. Agenda items from all commission meetings and work session agendas can be viewed on the TCEQ website. The meeting is also webcast live for free, and archived meetings are available.