TOP AIR POLLUTION PENALTIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has responsibility for controlling air pollution in the area. It has the power to seek court-imposed fines against polluters of $25 to $25,000 a day, based on such factors as the extent that emissions exceed legal limits, the potential danger to the public, whether the violation was intentional or accidental and the company’s history of violations. These are the 10 highest penalties paid in May:

COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS PENALTY Mobil Oil Corp. Refinery $9,250 Torrance Fong Brothers Furniture $7,000 (Tropi-Cal) manufacturer Los Angeles Wadco Industries Metal parts $5,800 Inc. Fontana manufacturer GATX Terminals Gasoline %5,250 Corp. storage Carson, San Pedro facilities Kosuga Furniture Furniture %5,000 Inc. Torrance manufacturer Mica Corp. Fabric-treating $4,000 Culver City facility Remo Inc. Musical drum $3,500 North Hollywood manufacturer Shell Oil Co. Bulk loading $3,250 Los Angeles, Signal Hill facilities sites Exxon Co. USA Crude oil $3,000 Seal Beach production facility Arthur C. Withrow Custom oil $2,600 Co. Inc. producer Vernon

COMPANY VIOLATION Mobil Oil Corp. Excessive Torrance hydrocarbons improper operation of air pollution control equipment Fong Brothers Excessive (Tropi-Cal) hydrocarbons from Los Angeles improper coating operation Wadco Industries Excessive Inc. Fontana hydrocarbons from improper coating operation, exceeding permit conditions GATX Terminals improper operation Corp. and maintenance of Carson, San Pedro storage tanks and equipment Kosuga Furniture Excessive Inc. Torrance hydrocarbons from improper coating operation Mica Corp. Excessive Culver City hydrocarbons from fabric-treating equipment Remo Inc. Operating North Hollywood spray-painting booths contrary to permit conditions Shell Oil Co. improper operation of Los Angeles, Signal Hill gasoline storage sites tanks and loading equipment Exxon Co. USA Improper venting of Seal Beach equipment, causing emission of hydrogen sulfide Arthur C. Withrow Failure to obtain Co. Inc. proper permits; Vernon operating contrary to permit conditions