CITGO Petition and Notification Process Explained
CITGO continues to be committed to sharing information and answering questions.
First and foremost, the CITGO Lemont Refinery follows all required Federal, State and Local reporting requirements.
The CITGO Lemont Refinery has been part of the local community for 100 years. As a good neighbor, our operations are guided by our underlying values — we live and work here too.
CITGO has received several questions about the Illinois Pollution Control Board's upcoming public hearing on June 26.
Why did CITGO file this petition?
On September 10, 2025, CITGO filed a petition with the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) to request an adjusted, site-specific carbon monoxide (CO) standard for certain larger heaters and boilers during limited startup, shutdown, and malfunction events.
The request is to allow CITGO to follow existing federal regulations, eliminate the need for onerous reporting of required routine maintenance activities, and provides a consistent regulatory approach during these infrequent operating periods and would not result in increased emissions.
What happens if the IPCB denies CITGO's Petition?
The CITGO Lemont Refinery follows all required Federal, State and Local reporting requirements. If the IPCB denies CITGO's petition, there will be no change to current emissions, and we will continue to report as we do today.
What happens if the IPCB approves CITGO's Petition?
The CITGO Lemont Refinery follows all required Federal, State and Local reporting requirements. If the IPCB approves CITGO's petition, there will be no change to current emissions. We will follow the Federal Requirements during the Startup and Shutdown process for the heaters and boilers included in the petition. This reduces administrative reporting requirements.
What public benefit does this petition provide to the residents who live near the refinery?
Through the petition process, CITGO was required to complete complex air modeling that confirms that operating under the alternate standard during these infrequent periods does not impact local air quality as measured by both the 1-hour and 8-hour Carbon Monoxide National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This modeling should reassure our neighbors that this change does not increase emissions or negatively impact the community. In addition, if approved, CITGO will be required to follow the Federal Standard during these periods. If we fail to meet requirements, the new standard still requires CITGO to report the instances in its compliance reports to the IEPA.
Both the IEPA and U.S. EPA reviewed the data and agreed the request would not increase emissions. The IEPA stated to the IPCB “The Agency agrees that the proposed adjusted standard is consistent with federal law. Additionally, at the Agency's request, USEPA reviewed the [Technical Support Document] TSD for CITGO's Petition and did not identify any issues.”
How often do we expect these startup and shutdown events requiring this adjusted standard in the future?
Depending on operations, 2-5 times per year. As an example, we are required by the state boiler code to shut down and certify every boiler every two years. When we shut down and start up, we have a brief period where the alternate standard would apply until the boilers are back to normal operations.
Will CITGO commit to publicly reporting emissions associated with these events if this petition is approved?
Yes, the refinery is already required to include emissions related to these infrequent operating periods in its Annual Emissions Report that is submitted to the IEPA annually. The petition does not change this requirement.
How does CITGO communicate with the community?
CITGO Lemont Refinery participates in regional programs like the Odor Alert Network (OAN) and the Community Awareness Emergency Response (CAER) Council that keeps local leaders and communities informed on safety and environmental topics.
More recently, CITGO has been working together with local municipalities, agencies, and elected officials to address concerns raised by residents.
To foster transparency and dialogue, CITGO conducted a series of community meetings in December 2025 and January 2026. CITGO staff, third party environmental experts, and Will County Emergency Management Agency authorities presented in-depth materials and incorporated open discussions with community members to answer questions and voice concerns.
We are currently working with the Lemont Environmental Advisory Committee on the format for future meetings with them and local neighbors.
To support ongoing dialogue, CITGO created a new Community Website, Lemont Refinery Community News | CITGO. The page is equipped with Refinery updates and information, environmental reports, and community efforts, in addition to the videos and presentations from those Community Meetings held earlier this year.
CITGO remains committed to sharing information, answering questions, and operating responsibly as a neighbor in the community.
