LOS ANGELES, CA – Phillips 66 faces six federal charges for allegedly discharging hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater from its Carson refinery into the Los Angeles County sewer system in violation of the Clean Water Act, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed the indictment with two counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act and four counts of knowingly violating the law. A date for the company’s arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
In a statement, Phillips 66 said it intends to cooperate with federal authorities. “Phillips 66 will continue its cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is prepared to present its case in these matters in court. The company remains committed to operating safely and protecting the health and safety of our employees and the communities where we operate,” the company stated.
Federal authorities allege the refinery discharged approximately 310,000 gallons of wastewater into the sewer system on Nov. 24, 2020, over a 2 1/2-hour period. The wastewater contained about 64,000 pounds of oil and grease, which exceeded permitted levels by more than 300 times, prosecutors said.
Officials at the refinery reportedly failed to notify the county of the non-compliant discharge, prompting the issuance of violation notices in December 2020. According to prosecutors, a Phillips 66 manager acknowledged the incident and assured authorities that refinery staff would be retrained on discharge procedures and notification requirements.
However, another incident occurred on Feb. 8, 2021, when the refinery allegedly discharged 480,000 gallons of wastewater containing 33,700 pounds of oil and grease over a 5 1/2-hour period. Prosecutors contend that the company again failed to notify county authorities.
Violation notices were issued the following month, and the company again acknowledged the infractions, prosecutors said.
If convicted, Phillips 66 could face penalties including five years of probation and up to $2.4 million in fines, according to prosecutors.
Phillips 66 announced in October that it plans to shut down its Los Angeles-area refinery operations in 2024. The company operates a crude oil processing facility in Carson and a finishing plant in Wilmington, connected by a five-mile pipeline.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that investigations into Phillips 66’s compliance with environmental regulations remain ongoing.
