[StBernard] Murphy Oil Sued Over Air Pollution From Meraux Refinery

[Westley Annis]

Murphy Oil Sued Over Air Pollution From Meraux Refinery
 
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, October 29, 2009 (ENS) - Student attorneys at Tulane
University's Environmental Law Clinic are taking on a giant oil company on
behalf of a community group suffering from air pollutants released into
their residential neighborhoods by an oil refinery. 

A motion for partial summary judgment against Murphy Oil USA, Inc. was filed
today by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic on behalf of the neighborhood
association Concerned Citizens Around Murphy. 

The citizens' lawsuit, initially filed in November 2008, alleges the Murphy
Oil refinery at Meraux, Louisiana has violated the Clean Air Act over 130
times since October 2003 by releasing tons of sulfur dioxide and other
harmful pollutants, including hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic
compounds, in amounts that exceed their permit limits. 

Documents filed in federal district court claim defendant Murphy Oil, USA is
liable for violating the Clean Air Act and that the neighborhood association
has standing to bring suit. 

The citizen suit provision of the federal Clean Air Act grants citizens the
independent authority to enforce legal standards to protect their own health
and welfare and to encourage government agencies to enforce the Act more
vigorously. 

The neighborhood association seeks judgment on liability and standing
issues, civil penalties and a court injunction to stop the illegal releases
of air pollutants. 

According to court documents, Murphy Oil admitted violating their air
permits on at least 20 occasions. These violations occurred during
preventable upsets and resulted in tons of toxic air releases into the
Chalmette and Meraux neighborhoods. 

Preventable upsets are unpermitted air emissions that occur when plants are
being started up or shut down, during maintenance or during accidents due to
operator error or leaks. 

Murphy Oil USA Inc. operates retail gasoline stations under the Murphy USAR
brand across 20 states in the United States. These are high-volume, low-cost
retail gasoline stations, primarily in the parking areas of Wal-Mart
Supercenters. 

Murphy Oil USA, also operates a network of 12 company-owned terminals,
which, along with numerous third-party terminals, provide fuel supply to
retail and branded wholesale stations throughout 23 states. 

Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company that conducts
business through various operating subsidiaries. The company produces oil
and natural gas in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and
Malaysia and conducts exploration activities worldwide. 

In a statement on the company website, David Wood, Murphy's president and
CEO, says, "Our company established a Board level environmental committee
years before many of our peers." 

He says, "we will strive to create an ever improving and sustainable
environment for our employees, our shareholders and the communities in which
we work." 

Concerned Citizens Around Murphy hopes that proves true for their community.
The neighborhood association was formed to address quality of life issues
and to protect the organization's members and other St. Bernard Parish
residents from pollution coming from the surrounding petrochemical industry.


"With the holiday season approaching, most neighborhoods are planning
festivities with associated decorations," said Suzanne Kneale, an active
member of Concerned Citizens Around Murphy. "Yet, residents in the fenceline
community around Murphy often forgo outdoor lighting and other activities
due to poor air quality." 

The only thing separating their homes from the refinery is a pipeline
easement and a fence in need of repair. 

"The unauthorized releases at the Murphy Oil Meraux refinery adversely
effect the health and quality of life of residents," said Kneale. "We are
seeking a court injunction to preserve what little good air is left in this
community." 

Louisiana has a total of 17 refineries. Three have had citizen enforcement
suits filed against them, and two of those three are in St. Bernard Parish.
The neighborhood association says this reflects local zoning and compliance
issues that have allowed hazardous industry to operate adjacent to
residential districts.