News Releases from Region 05

Marathon Pipe Line to pay $335,000 in federal, state penalties for pipeline spill to Wabash River on Illinois-Indiana border

For Immediate Release: No. 18-OPA005

CHICAGO (March 22, 2018) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement with Marathon Pipe Line LLC to resolve Clean Water Act violations stemming from its 2016 spill to the Wabash River. The company, which transports petroleum products from its refinery in Robinson, Ill. to Mt. Vernon, Ind., will pay federal ($226,000) and state ($109,000) civil penalties totaling $335,000.     

In April 2016, Marathon released more than 35,800 gallons of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel to the Wabash River near Crawleyville, Ind., when its 10-inch Robinson-Mt. Vernon pipeline failed. Marathon cleaned up the oil and took steps to prevent future releases.

The proposed consent agreement and final order is subject to a 30-day comment period that began March 21 and closes April 30. A copy of the proposed agreement may be viewed online at: https://www.epa.gov/publicnotices/proposed-cafo-cwa-05-2018-0005.

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