Shell Faces Federal Lawsuit for Repeatedly Polluting the Air

Posted by John Donovan: 12 May 2023

Shell Faces Federal Lawsuit for Repeatedly Polluting the Air

Oil giant Shell is under fire as an environmental group launches a federal lawsuit, accusing the company’s plant in Beaver County of flagrantly disregarding air pollution limits.

The Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council are demanding severe penalties and an immediate cessation of what they denounce as Shell’s illegal release of smog-forming pollutants from the Monaca plant.

Highlighting the shocking fact that Shell received a staggering $1.6 billion in taxpayer subsidies from the state to construct this facility, Sarah Kula, attorney for the Environmental Integrity Project, fiercely asserts, “The audacity of this international corporation is disgraceful! Shell must stop subjecting Pennsylvania taxpayers to their unlawful pollution and start respecting the law.”

Earlier this year, the Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council issued a warning letter to Shell, signaling their intent to sue over numerous violations of the state Department of Environmental Protection regulations.

In response, a Shell spokesperson, no doubt attempting to downplay the severity of the allegations, regurgitated the same old corporate rhetoric, stating, “We are reviewing the notice and will abide by all applicable laws and regulations.” It’s clear that Shell’s hollow promises of responsible operations are nothing but empty words.

Attempting to save face amidst mounting criticism, Shell released a statement claiming, “We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees and the surrounding community.” However, their actions speak louder than their feeble attempts at damage control.

The temporary shutdown of the Shell Polymers Monaca Plant is merely an attempt to appease public outrage. Shell’s belated scramble to rectify the issues only underscores their reckless disregard for environmental regulations and the welfare of the community.

Let’s not forget that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection already issued a Notice of Violation to Shell Polymers Monaca earlier this year for surpassing the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions outlined in Shell’s Air Plan Approval. This blatant violation of regulations exposes the company’s true colors.

Shell’s excuses for the excessive flaring during startup are feeble at best. The claim that it was due to the complexities of commissioning new systems and equipment is a convenient scapegoat for their incompetence. Flaring, touted as a safety measure, cannot excuse the fact that Shell has violated the law.

While Shell attempts to portray itself as a responsible corporate citizen, the truth remains that their operations are jeopardizing the well-being of both people and the environment. It’s clear that Shell is more concerned with profits than the health of the community and the planet.

The recent revelation of a flaw in the flaring system is just another testament to Shell’s disregard for safety and environmental concerns. Shutting down production temporarily is a mere band-aid solution while they scramble to rectify their mistakes. But this desperate attempt to save face cannot undo the damage they have already caused.

It’s time for Shell to be held accountable for their reckless actions. No amount of PR spin can conceal the truth: Shell Energy is an ecological menace, prioritizing profit over the health and safety of the people and the environment.

Shell provided the following statement on the lawsuit:

“Shell remains committed to the health and well-being of its employees and the surrounding community. The Shell Polymers Monaca Plant is temporarily shut down and we are continuing to work rapidly to improve facilities and operations to address these issues in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

We are also committed to complying with all county, state and federal regulations. And when there is an issue, we work to fix it. We learn from those issues and work to improve so that we can be the good environmental steward, neighbor, and business partner this region wants and deserves.

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued Shell Polymers Monaca a Notice of Violation (NOV) due to the plant exceeding volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions outlined in Shell’s Air Plan Approval.

Several factors contributed to additional flaring during startup, all related to the complexities of commissioning brand new systems and equipment that make up one of the largest construction projects in the country. Though flaring acts as a contingency to combust gases before they enter the atmosphere, no violation is acceptable.

We will continue to report out and comply with all regulations while also applying lessons learned and best practices to ensure our operations have no negative impact on people or the environment.

We recently identified an issue with the site flaring system. Because flaring is considered a critical safety device when it comes to eliminating unwanted hydrocarbon gases, production has been temporarily shut down and will remain offline until the flaring system is operational. While that work is underway, we will continue to report out and comply with all regulations while applying lessons learned and best practices. “

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