Thaindian News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – The United States on Thursday announced two major clean air act settlements that cover 28 industrial plants nationwide.

The United States filed two major Clean Air Act settlements to reduce air emissions from container glass and Portland cement, the most common type of cement, plants throughout the country.

The settlements cover 15 U.S. plants owned by Saint-Gobain Containers Inc., the nation’s second largest container glass manufacturer, and all 13 U.S. plants owned by Lafarge Company and two subsidiaries, the nation’s second largest manufacturer of Portland cement. These settlements are the first system-wide settlements for these sectors under the Clean Air Act and require pollution control upgrades, acceptance of enforceable emission limits and payment of civil penalties.

The facilities are estimated to reduce a combined 41,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter (PM) each year. SO2, NOx and PM can trigger respiratory difficulties and asthma, and environmental harms such as acid rain, visibility impairments and water quality impacts.

“These two settlements are excellent examples of businesses working with government to achieve compliance at their facilities around the country, which will benefit the health of local communities and the environment,” said Ignacia Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Enforcing the Clean Air Act’s new source review program is a priority, not just in the coal-fired power plant industry, but also in industries like cement and glass manufacturing that have been identified as major sources of air pollution.”

These settlements are part of the federal government’s focus on improving cooperation among industries that put out significant amounts of air pollution, including cement manufacturing, glass manufacturing, acid production and coal-fired power.