Lemont residents push back on Citgo refinery request to weaken carbon monoxide emissions rules

Residents in Lemont and nearby Illinois towns are opposing a petition from the Citgo Lemont Refinery that would allow it to exceed legal carbon monoxide limits during startup, shutdown, and malfunction periods. At a public hearing before the Illinois Pollution Control Board, about two dozen residents voiced concerns about health risks, lack of transparency, and the precedent such a variance could set for other polluters in the state. The refinery argues that equipment cannot operate at peak efficiency during warm-up and cool-down cycles, and that the excess emissions would be short and infrequent. But retired Citgo employees and local residents worry the request is too broad and could apply to unplanned shutdowns that happen monthly, not just the mandated ones every few years. The Illinois EPA has said it does not object to granting the petition, which has added to community frustration. No question and answer period was held at the hearing, and key details remain unclear. Citgo has not explained why it is seeking the exemption now, how high emissions could go under the proposed alternative limits, or what penalties it currently faces for non-compliance. The case highlights ongoing tensions between industrial operations and local air quality standards.