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Southern Foods Group to Pay EPA Penalty

Release Date: 10/4/2005
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

     Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has filed a Consent Agreement and Final Order against Southern Foods Group, L.P., the owner and operator of the Oak Farms Dairy facility in Dallas, in resolution of alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.  Southern will pay a cash penalty of $6,875 and fund a supplemental environmental project valued at $20,625.

     "EPA is using every tool available to bring clean air to north central Texas.  This agreement helps propel us toward our goal," EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene said.  

     The Oak Farms Dairy facility at 1114 North Lancaster St. in Dallas, Texas, processes milk and related dairy products.  Southern allegedly violated the Clean Air Act by failing to repair leaks of a comfort cooling appliance containing more than 50 pounds of a stratospheric ozone depleting substance.
     Depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere increases ultraviolet radiation at ground level, which accelerates the formation of photochemical smog.  

     For the supplemental environmental project, Southern will pay to convert four Dallas County school buses from gasoline fuel to liquid propane gas (LPG).  Use of LPG fuel helps prevent ground-level ozone formation by reducing the volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen emissions associated with conventionally fueled vehicles.  When combined with sunlight and hot, stagnant weather, these pollutants form ground-level ozone.

     Ground-level ozone triggers a variety of health problems even at very low levels.  It may cause permanent lung damage after long-term exposure and damages plants and ecosystems.  Children are especially susceptible to lung damage from ozone because they spend more time outdoors during the summer ozone season.

     More information about stratospheric ozone depletion is available at https://www.epa.gov/ozone/.  For additional information about ground-level ozone, go to  https://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/ozone/index.html.