The EPA today proposed new emissions standards for oil refineries as a result of a consent decree with nonprofit environmental groups. The updated rules would require companies to monitor benzene emissions, upgrade emissions control for storage tanks and impose performance requirements for flares and emissions standards for delayed coking units.
The agency will take comment on the proposed rules for 60 days and hold two public hearings near Houston and Los Angeles, with a goal of finalizing the rules in April 2015.
The EPA said the new rules would reduce emissions of benzene, toluene and xylene by 5,600 tons per year and cut VOC emissions by 52,000 tons per year.
