The seven plants, located in Baton Rouge, and Chalmette, La.; Baytown and Beaumont, Texas; Billings, Mont.; Joliet, Ill.; and Torrance, Calif., account for 11% of the nations oil-refining capacity. All are owned by ExxonMobil except the Chalmette refinery, which is owned by Chalmette Refining LLC, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and Petroleos de Venezuela S.A.
ExxonMobil has begun projects at the sites to add emissions control technologies that collectively will reduce nitrogen oxide by 11,000 tons per year and sulfur dioxide by 42,000 tons per year. Both compounds are linked to respiratory illness. "The emissions reductions required by this settlement will lead to cleaner air and significant environmental and public health benefits," says Acting Assistant Attorney General Kelly Johnson.