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EPA toughening oil refinery regulations
The Hill ^ | May 15 2014 | Benjamin Goad

Posted on 05/15/2014 11:46:10 AM PDT by PoloSec

The Environmental Protection Agency moved Thursday to beef up air quality regulations for oil refineries, an action officials said would cut toxic emissions by 5,600 tons per year.

The agency maintained the updated standards would protect public health with negligible impacts on the cost of petroleum — a contention immediately disputed by the oil and gas industry.

Under the proposed changes, companies would for the first time be required to monitor concentrations of benzene, a chemical compound linked to an array of health problems, surrounding the refineries.

Results of the monitoring would be made available to the public.

The new proposal would also require upgraded emission controls for storage tanks, new “flare” restrictions to ensure waste gases are properly destroyed and emissions standards for delayed coking units, which are largely unregulated under current rules.

“The common-sense steps we are proposing will protect the health of families who live near refineries and will provide them with important information about the quality of the air they breathe,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said.

The agency maintains the regulations, to be finalized in April of next year, would have “no noticeable impact on the cost of petroleum products at the approximately 150 petroleum refineries around the country.”

The American Petroleum Institute refutes the assertion, arguing the new restrictions would be expensive — and possibly ineffective.

“With this proposal, EPA adds to the list of new regulations impacting refineries that come with enormous costs but questionable environmental benefits,” said Howard Feldman, API’s director of regulatory and scientific affairs.

“This rule is intended to evaluate what risk, if any, is posed to the public from refinery emissions,” Feldman said. “But EPA has already concluded the risks associated with refinery emissions are low and the public is protected with an ample margin of safety.”

The EPA announced a 60-day comment period to collect feedback on the proposal, and plans to hold public hearings near Houston and Los Angeles.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: climatechangefraud; energy; epa; epaoutofcontrol; oil; oilrefineries; refinery
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1 posted on 05/15/2014 11:46:10 AM PDT by PoloSec
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To: PoloSec

“The results would be made available to the public.”

Rile up the masses.


2 posted on 05/15/2014 11:49:17 AM PDT by Scrambler Bob (You can count my felonies by looking at my FR replies.)
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To: PoloSec

It’s a good thing, too, what with all the new oil refineries being constructed around the country...

/s


3 posted on 05/15/2014 11:49:26 AM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
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To: PoloSec
Grounding Air Force One and keeping "party boy" at home would have more benefits and would save money.
4 posted on 05/15/2014 11:56:07 AM PDT by Myrddin
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To: PoloSec
The Environmental Protection Agency moved Thursday to beef up air quality regulations for oil refineries, an action officials said would cut toxic emissions by 5,600 tons per year.

What a gigantic lie. This 'action' will not cut ANYTHING by ANY amount (apart from jobs and money from the economy).

Based on the EPA's track record, it is possible that the billions of dollars oil companies must now pi$$ away trying to comply with this 'action' might result a reduction in toxic emissions equally to some small fraction of the claimed amount.

5 posted on 05/15/2014 11:56:15 AM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
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To: PoloSec

“Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”


6 posted on 05/15/2014 11:58:51 AM PDT by Constitution Day
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To: WayneS

The actual truth is that as a result these refineries will move to Mexico, run with NO emissions controls, and quadruple the amount of toxins being put into the atmosphere.

Thanks, EPA!


7 posted on 05/15/2014 12:00:28 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: PoloSec

New oil refinery jobs in USA : 0

New oil refinery jobs in Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, and elsewhere : Lots and lots.

How does this benefit the USA?


8 posted on 05/15/2014 12:01:15 PM PDT by tpmintx (Gun free zones are hunting preserves for unarmed people.)
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To: PoloSec

The ONLY EPA “Regulation” America needs is to “Regulate” EPA employees access to the world outsided of their offices.

This includes cutting off all means of communication.

There is no point in closing the EPA, lest these thousands of liberals are let loose to inflict their Marxism through other venues.


9 posted on 05/15/2014 12:04:21 PM PDT by G Larry (Which of Obama's policies do you think I'd support if he were white?)
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To: Constitution Day
“Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”

And that is the subtext of just about EVERYTHING the Current Regime touches its hand to - sort of a reverse Midas Touch.

Only it is not merely changing things back from gold or other good and valuable substance, it is transmuting it into fecal matter or worse, toxic fecal matter.

10 posted on 05/15/2014 12:08:12 PM PDT by alloysteel (Selective and willful ignorance spells doom, to both victim and perpetrator - mostly the perp.)
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To: PoloSec

Good, let’s close down those dirty oil refineries and make the unwashed masses walk everywhere. It will be good exercise for them. Of course, WE ELITES will still get government supplied gasoline imported from friendly Moslem countries. And for all those folks in New England this winter — get your heating oil from Joe Kennedy and the Venezuelan dictator.

(the above said in total and complete sarcasm)


11 posted on 05/15/2014 12:12:52 PM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: PoloSec
The government doesn't eat its own cooking.

Price increases in petroleum product used by the government will be extracted at gunpoint from the peasantry.

The peasants? They'll pay higher taxes, and they'll pay more for petroleum product for personal use. (Translation: the government steals more of your time)...

12 posted on 05/15/2014 12:16:28 PM PDT by kiryandil (turning Americans into felons, one obnoxious drunk at a time (Zero Tolerance!!!))
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To: Myrddin

Also, make those that work for the EPA use non poluting ways of transportation. Make them preactice what they preach. Also they should not be allowed to breath because it is an polutant emmissions


13 posted on 05/15/2014 12:29:06 PM PDT by Busko (The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Good point.

Why spend a bunch of money trying to hit a moving target when you can move a few hundred miles south and pretty much do whatever you want.


14 posted on 05/15/2014 12:30:25 PM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
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To: WayneS

Same reason they keep coming back at us with carbon taxes while the ChiComs get to spew out whatever they want.

It’s all one atmosphere.


15 posted on 05/15/2014 12:32:32 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: PoloSec

Does anyone in this country care about the price of gas anymore????? Does the scum media have any remote interest at all why gas prices continue to hurt the little people?


16 posted on 05/15/2014 12:36:28 PM PDT by Phillyred
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To: PoloSec
The agency maintains the regulations, to be finalized in April of next year, would have “no noticeable impact on the cost of petroleum products at the approximately 150 petroleum refineries around the country.”

This from the same group that said when ULSD was required, cost will rise by 4 or 5 pennies a gallon.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cars/DieselFuel.html#Will_ULSD_cost_more

17 posted on 05/15/2014 1:22:25 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: PoloSec

The EPA has got to go or we will be sitting in the dark soon and riding a solar powered bus.


18 posted on 05/15/2014 1:25:40 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: PoloSec

If the govt would allow new refineries to be built the refineries would be able to meet these new requirements. Instead they prevent new installations which would be cleaner and more efficient, then blame the 30+ yr old facilities for not being modern enough!


19 posted on 05/15/2014 1:34:47 PM PDT by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun control?)
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To: PoloSec
...companies would for the first time be required to monitor concentrations of benzene...

Ben Zeen. Is that like Ben Ghazi?

-PJ

20 posted on 05/15/2014 1:36:27 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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