MEADVILLE, PA, June 9, 2008 -- United Refining Company has paid a $52,864 civil penalty for several industrial wastewater discharge and operational violations at its oil refining facility in Warren, Warren County.
The facility is to treat the company's industrial wastewater before discharging it to the Allegheny River. United violated wastewater discharge permit limits when it failed to use a storage tank properly that the company had installed years earlier to prevent discharge violations.
"United installed the storage tank as the result of an earlier legal agreement between the Department of Environmental Protection and the company," said DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch. "The storage tank was not used for its intended purpose and the wastewater was inadequately treated before being released to the Allegheny River, violating Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law."
The penalty related to violations from March 2006 to April 2008. United has corrected the violations.
United is working on a plant upgrade that would avert future violations. Now that the penalty has been settled, DEP has issued a permit to United that provides for greater wastewater control.
The $52,864 penalty was directed to the Clean Water Fund, which is used by DEP for water pollution remediation projects.
Also see:
-- "Task force begins reviewing public comments on PA's water infrastructure needs"
-- "Reading pays DEP nearly $5,700 to cover costs of sewage discharge response"
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