WYOMING — As of April 20, Wyoming is one of a number of states required to pay fines in Clean Air Act settlements after allegedly violating federal air pollution laws.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), three separate Clean Air Act settlements will require companies to pay a combined $9.25 million in civil penalties. Improvements will also be required at 25 gas processing plants and 91 compressor stations across 12 states, including Wyoming, and two Tribal communities.
The EPA settlement with Williams and Harvest Four Corners, The Williams Companies, Inc., covers natural gas processing plants near Wamsutter and Opal, Wyoming, and 10 compressor stations throughout Wyoming. The settlement includes civil penalties of $142,500 to Wyoming specifically.
Wyoming is also part of a settlement with MPLX LP addressing noncompliance and strengthening air pollution controls at seven natural gas processing plants and three compressor stations in Wyoming, North Dakota and the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.
MPLX LP must conduct enhanced monitoring of all equipment in residue gas service at gas plants and compressor stations in North Dakota, Wyoming and Utah, with civil penalties to the state of Wyoming for $116,700.
The settlements will reduce ozone-producing air pollution and greenhouse gases across Wyoming facilities. According to the most recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Wyoming is the state with the highest per capita energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
The EIA noted that coal consumption accounted for almost three-fourths of Wyoming’s carbon dioxide emissions. Recently, though, Wyoming has been seeing a shift away from coal power towards renewable energy projects.
In Teton County, greenhouse gas emissions are accelerating in correlation with an increase in tourism and the growth of natural gas usage since 2018, according to the 2022 Indicator Report.
