The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recently lodged a consent decree resolving Clean Air Act claims against CalPortland Co. concerning the company’s Rillito, Ariz., cement plant. EPA’s complaint alleged that CalPortland did not obtain permits required by the Clean Air Act. The company agreed that it will either upgrade equipment, such as baghouses and spraybars to reduce particle pollution, or install a new, state-of-the-art kiln and retire four existing kilns. In addition, CalPortland agreed to pay a $350,000 civil penalty.
“This settlement will result in cleaner air for communities affected by the CalPortland facility,” Deborah Jordan, director of the EPA’s Air Division for the Pacific Southwest region said in a press release. “To safeguard the public health, all cement plants need to be properly permitted and keep their air emissions within the limits set by federal law.” The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period, after which it can be entered by the court.
