Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–May 1, 2015. Merit Energy Company, a Texas-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company, has agreed to pay an $885,000 civil penalty and to improve leak detection and repair work practices to settle alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its natural gas processing facility in Kalkaska, Michigan, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from leaking equipment impact the environment and may cause serious health effects. VOCs are a key component in the formation of smog or ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs, exacerbates diseases such as asthma and can increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
