An affiliate of oil and gas producer Ovintiv Inc. agreed to a more than $16 million settlement with the Utah and U.S. governments stemming from alleged Clean Air Act violations at 22 of the firm’s oil and gas production facilities in the state.
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed against Ovintiv USA Inc. alleging that the firm had failed to properly capture and control emissions from Uinta Basin facilities.
“These violations resulted in illegal emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a joint statement. “Additionally, greenhouse gases, including methane, were released in large quantities, contributing to climate change.”
Read More: Ovintiv Agrees to $16M Fine Over Uinta Methane, VOC Emissions