Phillips 66 faces felony charges for dumping oil-tainted wastewater in Los Angeles

Federal prosecutors have charged oil giant Phillips 66 with violating the Clean Water Act by discharging nearly 800,000 gallons of contaminated wastewater into Los Angeles County sewers, threatening critical treatment infrastructure.

Evan Halper reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

Phillips 66 allegedly discharged oil-laden wastewater twice in 2020 and 2021 from its Carson refinery, failing to report the incidents despite earlier promises to retrain staff.
The spills jeopardized the county's wastewater treatment system, which narrowly avoided releasing the pollutants into the Pacific Ocean.
If convicted, Phillips 66 could face $2.4 million in fines and up to five years of probation, including potential restitution to Los Angeles County.

Key quote:

“Corporations and individuals need to take their duties to protect the environment seriously. We also want to send the message that nobody is above the law.”

— Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney

Why this matters:

Criminal indictments against major corporations for environmental violations are rare, noted Estrada. If LA’s treatment systems hadn’t caught the waste in time, toxic pollutants could’ve reached beaches and marine ecosystems, exposing residents to contamination and devastating local wildlife. The indictment is meant to “send a message,” according to prosecutors, though the louder question remains: When will these spills stop?

www.washingtonpost.com

Phillips 66 faces felony charges for dumping oil-tainted wastewater in Los Angeles

From fossil fuelled tanks to wildfires: How Russia’s war on Ukraine is destroying the planet

As Nepal votes, climate change is an elephant in the room for Sherpa community

Less air pollution means more warming. Could cloud brightening help?

South Korean farmers sue utility giant KEPCO over climate damage to crops

Data center developers asked Trump for relief from pollution rules

Webinar: Plastic chemicals, climate & health: impacts across the lifecycle

Epstein files reveal how the ultra-wealthy peddle climate denialism

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.