Lathrop fertilizer maker may settle emission case

J.R. Simplot Co. has agreed to spend more than $40 million to settle a case involving sulfur dioxide emissions from fertilizer plants here and at four other locations.

The tentative settlement, announced Thursday, would require the company to make an estimated $42 million worth of emission upgrades at the Howland Road plant in Lathrop and two each in Pocatello, Idaho, and Rock Springs, Wyo.

Simplot also would pay an $899,000 federal penalty and provide $200,000 to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for a program that helps residents buy low-polluting wood stoves. A district court in Idaho could approve the settlement after a 30-day public comment period.

The EPA alleged that Simplot violated the Clean Air Act by not getting federal approval for changes to the plants that increased sulfur dioxide emissions, on top of what was required by state and local agencies. The Boise-based company disagreed in a statement issued Thursday.

“Simplot denied the allegations by EPA but agreed to meet lower emission limitations at all its plants rather than proceed with litigation,” the company said.

Simplot is among the most prominent fertilizer suppliers in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. It also has farming, food processing, mining and other operations in North America, China and Australia.

The case involved the use of sulfur to produce phosphoric acid, which then is mixed with ammonia to make diammonium phosphate, a common fertilizer.

The EPA said the sulfur dioxide emitted by the process can contribute to asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and heart disease.

“This action will lead to a 265-ton-per-year cut of harmful sulfur dioxide emissions from the Lathrop plant – that’s a 56 percent reduction,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest, in a news release. “Our goal is to protect San Joaquin Valley residents from air pollution that can worsen asthma and other respiratory ailments.”

This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Lathrop fertilizer maker may settle emission case."