The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) and LSB Chemical L.L.C. (“LSB”) entered into a June 24th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of an Air Permit. See Case # CAO-25-0100.
The CAO provides that LSB operates a chemical manufacturing facility located in El Dorado, Arkansas.
The facility operates pursuant to a Clean Air Act Title V Permit.
ADEQ is stated to have performed an air compliance evaluation at the facility on June 12, 2025, covering the reporting period of July 1, 2023 through April 30, 2025 and notified LSB of the results.
LSB is stated to have responded to ADEQ’s results via an August 6, 2025 letter, stating in part:
- On June 1, 2024, the Sulfuric Acid Plant (SN-07) experienced a malfunction and shutdown due to a mechanical pump failure. The Intermediate Pressure Pump ceased pumping acid over the absorption tower, which resulted in the elevated SO2 emissions.
- On March 4, 2025, the DMW Nitric Acid Plant (SN-13) experienced a shutdown and startup sequence, which resulted in the elevated NOx emissions. This occurred after multiple days of intermittent shutdowns due to cooling system issues and speed control adjustments.
- The Startup Shutdown Malfunction (SSM) report would be revised to reflect the June 1, 2024 and March 4, 2025 events.
The CAO alleges the following violations:
- Failure to comply with a delegated NSPS requirement.
- Exceedance of a non-criteria pollutant emission limit.
- Failure to meet record keeping or reporting conditions that are for enforcement of a non-criteria pollutant emission limit or 8 CAR pt. 40 opacity limit.
- Exceedance of a criteria pollutant emission limit.
The CAO requires that, within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the CAO, LSB submit a revised SSM Plan and revised SSM Reporting Forms to ADEQ to address SN-07, SN-13, and SN-41 in reference to Plantwide Condition 9. This is also required to include:
- Revising the table references.
- Updating the notification system.
- Adding the protocol to the report.
A civil penalty of $13,700 is assessed.
A copy of the CAO can be found here.
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