By KRISTEN SONNE
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that Phillips Petroleum Refinery in Woods Cross is emitting too much sulfur dioxide.
Sulfur dioxide is one of the particles that cause PM10, a major pollutant in the Salt Lake Valley. Sulfur dioxide is made up of nitrous oxide, a colorless nonflammable gas, and sulfoxides, a group of organic compounds.
Sulfur dioxide affects the atmosphere, irritates the eyes and throat, and causes respiratory illnesses. Sulfur dioxides are also part of the reason portions of the Wasatch Front are non-attainment areas for PM10.
The EPA faxed a notice of violation to Mark Haney, general manager of the Woods Cross Phillips Petroleum Refinery, Thursday.
Woods Cross is located between Salt Lake City and Bountiful.
Information regarding the standard came from the state of Utah, said Lee Hanley, environmental engineer for the EPA. The EPA monitors information provided to them by the state. The state receives their information from each company.
'When we did a review of the state reports, we proceeded to ask for additional reports from the company,' Hanley said.
Hanley said the notice gives Phillips Petroleum Refinery 10 days to respond. The company has not contacted the EPA yet.
'We are surprised and disappointed in EPA's action because we believe that (we) are in compliance -- and the state has told us we are in compliance,' stated a company press release. 'At issue is a state law and a state permit. We have been working closely with the state to resolve EPA's concerns and the state rightfully concluded that there is no problem.'
EPA formed their concerns from state information, Hanley said.
'I don't believe they are surprised,' she said. 'If we disagree with the state, we have the right to review. It is our responsibility to oversight issues that we delegate out to the state.'
The notice of violation was for the time period from June 1994 to December 1996 when the EPA believes Phillips was not in-compliance with current laws regarding emissions of sulfur dioxide.
The EPA said that for as much 11 percent of this time, Phillips Petroleum violated the allowable limit of 114 pounds per hour by as much as 70 percent.
'We have to wait thirty days before we can make any moves,' she said. 'We will be very surprised if they don't come and talk to us. It will depend on what they say.'
However, refinery officials said they have 'repeatedly attempted to discuss this directly with EPA to alleviate their concerns' and the 'EPA has declined to discuss a resolution.'
Last December, the EPA and Phillips met to discuss the EPA's concerns.
'We had advised them that we would review the information they provided,' Hanley said. 'We have felt that communication efforts have been clearly explained.'
She said Phillips was told then that if there were violations, the procedure would follow with a formal notification of the company's opportunity to discuss the issue.
Phillips made a second attempt to meet with the EPA in January, however, that would not have followed procedure, Hanley said.