BASF Corp. named Polluter of the Week

The German chemical company's Freeport plant was fined $87,120 in a settlement agreement reached with the state enviro agency for environmental crimes dating back to 2002.

So that's 5 years of arm rasslin' and ear pullin' over how much BASF should cough up for fouling the air with volatile organic compounds here in the Petrochemical Underarm of Texas.

But they're not gonna pay the state that exact amount of $87,120 because that figure will be "offset" by $43,560 that will be applied to the Houston-Galveston Area Emission Reduction Credit Organization Clean Cities/Clean Vehicles Program, which sounds like it does important work but what that may be we haven't the foggiest.

Interested citizens, if there are any out there, have until Jan. 14, 2008, to tell the state what they think of the settlement agreement before it becomes final.

The enviro commission may withdraw or withhold approval of the agreed order with BASF if a citizen discloses facts or considerations that indicate that consent is inappropriate, improper, inadequate, or inconsistent with the requirements of the statutes and rules within the commission's jurisdiction or the commission's orders and permits issued in accordance with the commission's regulatory authority.