Phillips 66 faces federal charges after Carson refinery allegedly dumped wastewater into Los Angeles sewer

Oil and gas company Phillips 66 has been accused of allegedly dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage into Los Angeles’ sewers.

A grand jury handed down a six-count indictment Wednesday, alleging that the company’s Carson refinery twice released noncompliant wastewater into sewers and then failed to notify Los Angeles County officials, violating the Clean Water Act.

According to the indictment, the incidents occurred in 2020 and again in 2021. On the first occasion, the sewage allegedly contained more than 300 times the permissible concentration of oils and greases.

“Protecting our environment is key to protecting our community,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Like the rest of us, corporations have a duty to follow the law, so when companies pollute, they must be held accountable.”

Department of Justice – wrote in the statement that Phillips 66 will be arraigned in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

“Phillips 66 will continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and stands ready to present its position in this matter in court,” a company spokesman said in a statement. “The company remains committed to operating safely and protecting the health and safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate.”

The legal action comes less than a month after the Phillips 66 decision was announced would close its oil refineries in Carson and Wilmington by the end of the year. These two refineries supply about 8% of California’s gasoline.