(Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday said they had agreed on separate settlements with three natural gas processors to reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
The settlements require three companies, The Williams Companies Inc, MPLX LP and WES DJ Gathering LLC, to pay a combined $9.25 million in civil penalties and make improvements at plants and compressor stations.
The combined settlements will cut ozone-producing air pollution by around 953 tons a year and greenhouse gases by 50,633 tons a year of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to a statement released by the Justice Department.
“These three settlements will measurably improve air quality for communities in 12 states and Indian Country,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Chris Reese and Mark Porter)
