A recent refinery investigation by a Texas environmental group illustrates the problem. Using ExxonMobil's Baytown Refinery as a case study, the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition conducted a three month long intensive review of the refinery's operations and the level of legal enforcement for violations. The report turned up a host of problems resulting from poor management and maintenance at the plant and shoddy enforcement by the state environmental agency. Bush repeatedly sent polluters the message that they can break the law and get away with it. If that's going to become official US policy then communities near refineries better buy their gas masks now because the air is going to get a lot more dangerous.
Oil refineries are one of the largest sources of air, water and land pollution in the nation.
With an average of almost 500,000 pounds of toxic releases per facility and over 80 million pounds industry wide annually, the impact on tens of millions of people is very real. TRI releases reported averaged 502,403 pounds released per facility, and over 84 million pounds for the sector as a whole. Sixty-five refineries are within three miles of population centers containing over 25,000 people and 37 are within three miles of centers containing 50,000 or more people. EIA suporting document link. Significant non-compliance means that the plant has committed persistent and serious violations of the Clean Air Act.