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U.S. EPA files complaint against CEMEX Clean Air laws allegedly violated in Victorville cement plant

Release Date: 02/28/2007
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, [email protected]

(02/28/07) RIVERSIDE - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Department of Justice, filed a complaint Monday in federal district court against CEMEX California Cement LLC, alleging that the company violated federal air regulations at its Victorville, Calif., plant.

According to the EPA, in 1997 and 2000, CEMEX California Cement LLC spent millions on major construction upgrades at its Victorville facility making it one of the largest cement production facilities in the nation without first obtaining the proper Clean Air Act permits or installing state-of-the-art emission controls that would reduce contaminants such as nitrogen oxide.

"The EPA seeks through this complaint to have the company install proper air pollution controls that could reduce nitrogen oxide emissions "said Deborah Jordan, director of the EPA's Air Division in its Pacific Southwest Office in San Francisco. "We believe that this will help improve air quality and protect public health in nearby communities."

In addition to obtaining proper permits and installing new controls, CEMEX California Cement LLC faces penalties of up to $32,500 per day per violation.

Nitrogen oxide is a harmful air pollutant that causes smog and respiratory problems in children and the elderly. The Victorville area fails to meet federal air quality standards for both ozone and particulate matter.

For more information on the EPA's Clean Air Act, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/air/index.html
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