The Lima refinery will be paying millions of dollars in penalties and upgrades for violations of the Clean Air Act. The U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with Cenovus Energy to pay 19 million dollars in civil penalties for benzene and volatile organic compound emissions. The energy company must also implement an estimated 150 million dollars in capital improvements to reduce emissions of benzene by 4.3 tons per year, other hazardous air pollutants by 16 tons per year, and other volatile organic compound emissions by 219 tons per year.

August 22, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost: (COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a federal rule that forces states and power plants to comply with “unrealistic” and “unlawful” regulations targeting air pollution. In a filing with the court, Yost and the attorney general of Kansas oppose a recent Environmental Protection Agency rule that gives coal-fired power plants an ultimatum: Capture and store 90% of carbon emissions or shut down within eight years.

A Hardin County man is sentenced to 150 hours of community service and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine after a large fish kill in the Scioto River. 73-year-old Mark Shepherd was also sentenced to 12 months probation and must pay more than $22,000 in restitution to the Division of Wildlife for the value of the dead fish. More than 43,000 dead fish were collected, including smallmouth bass, flathead, catfish, and minnows. 

Electric co-ops and power providers are concerned that the state will not be able to have enough electricity to support its future needs. The U.S. EPA issued a rule that targets electric coal and natural gas plants in the United States. By 2032, any fossil fuel-powered plant will be 90% carbon-emission-free. Electric co-ops say this would mean that carbon-capturing technology would have to be added, making the process more expensive for large operations. If they can't reach the carbon emission level, the plants need to close. Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted says one reason that many companies want to move or expand in Ohio is because of cheap energy, and these mandates could mean the state power needs may not be met.

A letter received by Lima water customers has many consumers concerned. The Lima Utilities Department assures residents that the water is safe to consume. The Environmental Protection Agency requires water departments to report if any levels are higher than the EPA standards found in normal testing of the water. The water department found that there was a slight increase in one specific chemical that can form during the water treatment process.

June 27, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost: (COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The U.S. Supreme Court today granted a request led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost for an immediate stay of the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to regulate air pollution nationwide through its “good neighbor plan.” The court halted the program, which aims to protect downwind states from high levels of ozone pollution, while litigation in the lower courts continues.

Lima Mayor Berger and others are asking the United States Environmental Protection Agency to honor the law when it comes to renewable fuel standards. Lima Allen County is home to Guardian Lima, an ethanol plant where nearly 1-thousand area farmers sell their corn. Their concern is that the demand for ethanol is decreasing as the E.P.A. is granting a large number of exemptions to refineries so that they are not required to blend biofuels into their petroleum. This policy is making a dent into the ethanol industry and it’s trickling down to the local farmer.