LOCAL : Unocal Ordered to Pay $23,000
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In the first conviction in the city under a new state environmental law, the Unocal Corp. was ordered today to pay $23,000 for air pollution violations at its Wilmington refinery.
The fine was imposed by Municipal Court Commissioner Joseph Spada after Unocal attorneys pleaded no contest to violating the new state law that created stiffer monetary penalties for negligent discharge of hazardous pollutants into the air.
Spada ordered Unocal to pay a $10,000 fine plus a $13,500 penalty assessment. Under the old law, Spada could have fined Unocal a maximum of $1,000.
City Atty. James K. Hahn said the case stemmed from incidents Feb. 7 and April 13 in which hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans released from the Unocal refinery caused victims in the surrounding area to suffer nausea, burning eyes, headaches and respiratory problems.
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