At the heart of all of our operations is a commitment to the safe receipt, storage and distribution of products. That’s the business we’re in, and success means protecting our employees, our communities and the environment. Here in South Portland, we report emissions to both the EPA and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and our operations are subject to conditions set by our air permit.

Minor Revision to our DEP Air License

We are seeking a minor revision to our DEP air license, so that the limits we agreed to with the EPA are included in our air license. Those limits include reducing the amount of product that is allowed to be shipped through the facility and adding the enhanced odor control technology.

This change to our air license is a public process led by the DEP, with opportunity for community input. You can read more, including our application on the DEP website, or you can submit written comments to [email protected].

Emissions Data

In 2019 our reported actual VOC emissions were 4.1 tons. In 2018 they were 4.8 tons – that was only 1% of the VOC emissions from facilities the DEP monitors in Cumberland County and less than 3% of the VOC emissions in South Portland.

Settlement with the EPA

In December of 2019, our settlement with the EPA was approved by the courts. The EPA The EPA had alleged that the terminal’s potential to emit (PTE) exceeded certain regulatory thresholds which establish what type of permit a facility must apply for.

Global believes we did not exceed the PTE, however, we felt it was best to resolve this matter. As a company we believe in working with environmental regulators and the cities and states where we operate. We don’t always agree, but we can come to an understanding and ensure that we continue to do things the right way.

Read more about the settlement. »