Department of Health Joins EPA in its Efforts to Reduce Air Emissions from the Chevron U.S.A. Refinery

HONOLULU - The State Department of Health (DOH), Clean Air Branch, is in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Justice Department in a comprehensive Clean Air Act settlement agreement. The settlement agreement determined that Chevron U.S.A. shall reduce air emissions from its refinery in Campbell Industrial Park. Hawai`i is one in four states to join in this settlement.

"The petroleum refining initiative has been one of EPA’s national priorities, focusing on compliance and enforcement issues and negotiating with major petroleum refining companies to reach "global" settlements," said Wilfred Nagamine, Manager of the Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch. "Hawai`i will benefit from this action because Chevron will install newer technology and upgrade some of the targeted equipment to achieve the emissions reductions."

He added, "As part of the settlement, Hawai`i also will receive $800,000 which will be used for a Supplementary Environmental Project (SEP) involving diesel particulate emission reductions, another one of EPA’s national initiatives. The details of the diesel particulate emission reduction project are still to be determined. We feel that this settlement will enhance our already clean air and provide further protection of our environment."

###

For more information, contact:

Wilfred K. Nagamine
Clean Air Branch Chief
Phone: (808) 586-4600

Darcie Yukimura
Public Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 586-4442
E-mail: >dayukimu@mail.health.state.hi.us