The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a $425 million settlement with subsidiaries of Tesoro Corp., and Par Hawaii Refining that resolves alleged Clean Air Act violations and protects public health by reducing air pollution at six refineries. Under the settlement, the two companies will spend about $403 million to install and operate pollution control equipment, and Tesoro will spend about $12 million to fund environmental projects in local communities previously impacted by pollution. Tesoro will also pay a $10.45 million civil penalty.

Tesoro is the applicant for the Vancouver Energy project, the proposal for the largest oil-by-rail terminal in North America. The $425 million settlement with the EPA resolves major violations of the federal Clean Air Act at several refineries controlled by Tesoro, including the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, WA. Contrary to claims made by Tesoro and Vancouver Energy, the company has a history of violating environmental and worker safety laws. This is exactly the wrong company to trust with operating an oil terminal on the Columbia River.

Read full story on the settlement.

Read why Friends opposes crude oil transport through the Columbia Gorge.