EPA Watchdog Will Review Fenceline Monitoring for Refineries

The EPA’s inspector general is launching an investigation into air monitoring rules on the borders of petroleum refineries, according to an announcement Tuesday.

The watchdog will take a closer look at how well the Environmental Protection Agency, state, and local agencies are overseeing compliance with fenceline monitoring requirements meant to reduce annual emissions of benzene.

• Benzene emissions, which are known to cause cancer and other illness, are the only pollutants with EPA fenceline monitoring requirements.
• The Office of Inspector General will go out into the field to audit the effectiveness of those rules, at “at EPA headquarters, selected EPA regions, ...