HOUSTON (Reuters) — A Louisiana environmental group has said that ExxonMobil Corp.’s Baton Rouge, La., refinery, where four workers were burned in a Nov. 22 fire, has been poorly maintained for years.
The Louisiana Bucket Brigade, which works to improve safety and reduce pollution from refineries and chemical plants in the state, highlighted findings of a 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspection of the refinery as showing long-standing flaws in maintenance.
An Exxon spokeswoman on Tuesday criticized the Bucket Brigade’s work.
“We have not read this latest report, but the Bucket Brigade’s previous reports have consistently contained deliberate inaccuracies and misrepresent industry activities,” spokeswoman Ashley Alemayehu said.
The 2012 EPA inspection found fault with Exxon’s maintenance of equipment and certain procedures.
