Cemex to pay US$1m to settle Clean Air Act fine, USA

Cemex is to pay a US$1m civil penalty and install US$600,000 worth of new pollution control equipment at its Lyons plant in Colorado, to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, according to the US Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The complaint centered on changes made at the Lyons plant between 1997 and 2000, when it was owned by Southdown.

"Today's settlement will reduce harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides, which can have serious impacts on respiratory health for communities along Colorado's Front Range," Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said Friday. "Cutting these emissions will also help improve environmental quality and visibility in places like Rocky Mountain National Park."

In January 2009, the Department of Justice filed a complaint on behalf of the EPA alleging the owners unlawfully modified the plant in a way that resulted in significant net increases of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter pollution, according to the announcement.

The Justice Department said the higher levels of pollution violated rules that companies must obtain permits before making modifications to a facility and install pollution control equipment if those changes will lead to more pollution from the plant.

As part of the settlement, Cemex will install Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) technology at their Lyons facility, which is pollution control equipment designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.