Citgo Petroleum Corp., Houston, will spend $320 million on clean air technologies at five of its refineries in five states to reduce polluting emissions under an Oct. 6 settlement with the U.S. Dept. of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act.

The consent decree filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas requires Citgo to pay a $3.6-million civil fine and spend another $5 million on a supplemental environmental project to further reduce nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions at its Corpus Christi refinery. The government says that once the new control technologies are installed, harmful air emissions will be reduced by more than 30,000 tons per year, including reducing NOx emissions by more than 7,184 tons and reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 23,250 tons.

The work at the three fuel refineries and two asphalt refineries will be done over four years beginning in 2005, Citgo said in a statement. “Citgo has an unwavering commitment to operating our facilities in full compliance with environmental regulations,” said Citgo’s President and CEO Luis Marin.