Refinery Fined $1.6 Million By EPA

An oil refinery in El Dorado will pay a $1.6 million penalty for violations of the federal Clean Air Act, which resulted in a fire that killed an employee in 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced.

HollyFrontier El Dorado Refining did not follow requirements designed to protect the public from accidental releases of hazardous substances, which contributed to the fire and caused the employee’s death, the EPA said.

In 2014, an EPA inspection identified the company’s failure to evaluate hazards and to compile safety information.

In 2017, a heater tube ruptured, causing the fatal fire.

An investigation found that HollyFrontier did not design and maintain a safe facility, or inspect and replace heater tubes, the EPA said.

HollyFrontier entered a consent decree in 2020 requiring it to conduct compliance audits.