Exxon Mobil Fined $21 Million For Violating Clean Air Act 16,386 Times

“We believe it’s the largest penalty resulting from a citizen suit in U.S. history,” one of the plaintiffs said.

A Texas judged ordered Exxon Mobil to pay $19.9 million in fines on Wednesday after finding one of the company’s refining and chemical plants illegally spewed millions of pounds of pollutants into the air.

Conservation groups Environment Texas and the Sierra Club sued Exxon in 2010, saying the energy giant failed to implement technology that would curb emissions at its Baytown, Texas complex between 2005 and 2013. The groups said Exxon gained more than $14 million in economic benefits during the delay and flouted provisions of the Clean Air Act.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner agreed, finding Exxon illegally released more than 10 million pounds of pollutants, including carcinogens and respiratory irritants like sulfur dioxide. In total, the court found Exxon had violated the Clean Air Act 16,386 times, with each violation carrying a fine of up to $37,500 per day.

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