Citgo Lemont Refinery: Community Meeting Update & Air Quality Information

Background

The Citgo refinery near Lemont has been the subject of ongoing community concerns regarding air quality and public notification procedures. Following resident complaints about elevated benzene levels detected between April and May 2025, Lemont officials have been working with Citgo representatives and environmental agencies to address transparency and safety concerns.

The facility, located at 135th Street and New Avenue in unincorporated Will County, has faced EPA enforcement actions in the past, including a nearly $2 million civil penalty in 2016 and a $737,000 fine in 2013 for Clean Air Act violations.

Why We're Sharing This Information: As local real estate professionals serving the Lemont and surrounding communities, Wendy and Mark Pawlak believe in staying informed about the issues that matter most to our clients and neighbors. Whether you're buying or selling a home in the area, understanding local environmental concerns and safety measures is essential to making informed decisions. We attended the community meeting to gather accurate information and provide our clients with expert knowledge about the community where we live and work. This blog represents our commitment to transparency and keeping the community we serve well-informed about important local matters.

Recent Community Meeting: Key Takeaways

A community meeting was recently held to address resident concerns and provide information about air quality monitoring and safety procedures. Here are the important details shared by representatives from various organizations:

Understanding Benzene Exposure

Ben Roberts from Benchmark Risk Assessment provided crucial context about benzene exposure:

• Benzene inhalation can cause both cancer and non-cancer health effects
• Non-cancer effects include decreased white blood cell counts
• Cancer risks include leukemia (AML - Acute Myeloid Leukemia)
• The average benzene level in the area is 1.6 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³)
• According to risk assessment data, exposure to 30 μg/m³ for 7 years would be needed before adverse effects are typically seen

For Perspective:

• 1 part per billion = 1 second in 32 years
• 1 part per million = 1 second in 11.5 days
• The average person breathes 264 gallons of air each day
• Benzene is 2 times heavier than air

How Do These Levels Compare to Everyday Activities?

To help put the benzene levels at the Citgo facility into context, here are typical benzene exposure levels from common everyday activities:

Current Citgo Facility Levels:

• Average in the area: 1.6 μg/m³
• Citgo's rolling annual average (as of June 2025): 7 μg/m³
• EPA action threshold: 9 μg/m³

Everyday Exposure Comparisons:

Pumping Gasoline:

• Brief exposure while filling your tank: 85-640 μg/m³

Painting Activities:

• Spray painting: 43,900 μg/m³ (average)
• Brush painting: 58,200 μg/m³ (average)

Indoor Air:

• Homes with attached garages: Higher than outdoor levels
• Homes with smokers: 10.5 μg/m³ vs. 7 μg/m³ without smokers

Outdoor Air:

• Rural areas: 0.06 μg/m³
• Urban areas: 0.06-108 μg/m³
• Near heavy traffic: Higher concentrations

Smoking:

• Average smoker (32 cigarettes/day): 1,800 μg intake per day
• Non-smokers: About 10 times less exposure

Workplace Standards:

• OSHA 8-hour workplace limit: 3,190 μg/m³ (1 ppm)
• OSHA 15-minute maximum: 15,950 μg/m³ (5 ppm)

What This Means: The current monitoring data from the Citgo facility shows levels that are significantly lower than what you'd experience during a brief stop to pump gas, much lower than workplace safety limits, and comparable to or lower than typical urban outdoor air in many cities. However, the community's concerns about notification procedures and transparency remain important, which is why ongoing monitoring and the development of a public notification system are critical steps forward.

Citgo's Safety Measures

Mike from Citgo Refinery Safety discussed operational improvements:

• Sulfur removal process enhancements
• Flare gas recovery systems
• Real-time monitoring commitment by Citgo
• Development of an Odor Alert Network - community members can sign up to receive alerts and report odors

Jim from Citgo's Environmental Department explained the monitoring system:

• 18 monitoring tubes are actively measuring air quality around the facility perimeter
• Reports are generated every 2 weeks (as required by EPA regulations)
• Data is calculated using the highest reading minus the lowest reading
• Two gas chromatographs analyze air samples every 10 minutes for real-time continuous monitoring (using helium as a carrier gas in the analytical process)
• The facility tests its audible alarm system every Wednesday at noon

How the Monitoring Works: Citgo uses two complementary monitoring approaches:

1. Passive Monitoring (EPA Required): Sorbent tubes placed around the facility perimeter collect air samples over 14-day periods, which are then sent to laboratories for analysis
2. Real-Time Monitoring (Enhanced Safety): Automated gas chromatographs continuously sample and analyze air every 10 minutes, providing near-instant detection of any benzene releases

Emergency Response

Sean from Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) outlined emergency notification procedures:

• Will County EMA will issue community alerts for immediately dangerous situations
• The Everbridge notification system is used to alert residents
• This system ensures rapid communication in emergency situations

What This Means for Our Community

While current benzene levels at the Citgo facility remain below EPA action thresholds, residents have raised valid concerns about transparency and public notification. The facility's annual rolling average as of June 2025 was 7 micrograms per cubic meter, below the 9 μg/m³ threshold that would require EPA action.

However, real-time data showed some elevated readings in May 2025, leading to increased community advocacy for better communication and more proactive notification systems.

Upcoming Developments in 2026

Citgo has committed to developing a public notification system specifically for benzene levels. More details about this system and how it will work are expected to be announced in 2026. This represents an important step forward in community transparency and safety.

How to Stay Informed

Attend Monthly Environmental Meetings

The Lemont Environmental Advisory Commission (LEAC) holds monthly meetings to discuss environmental issues affecting the community:

• When: 7:00 PM on the Fourth Thursday of each month
• Where: Boardroom, Village Hall, 418 Main Street, Lemont, IL 60439
• More Information: Village of Lemont Environmental Advisory Commission

These meetings provide an opportunity to stay informed about environmental matters, ask questions, and engage with commission members who advise the Village Board on environmental issues.

Sign Up for Odor Alerts

Citgo is creating an Odor Alert Network where community members can:

• Sign up to receive alerts about detected odors
• Call to report unusual odors in their area
• Receive responses from Citgo when odors are detected and investigated

Details on how to sign up for this alert system will be added to this blog as they become available from Citgo.

Future Meetings

Additional community meetings are planned to provide updates on:

• The new public notification system for benzene levels
• Ongoing monitoring data
• Safety procedures and improvements
• Community questions and concerns

Upcoming Meeting Schedule: Citgo is conducting a series of community meetings in December and January at Big Run Golf Club:

• December 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM
• December 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM
• January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Attendees may select one session to attend. To register for a meeting, contact Jen Hannon at jhanno1@citgo.com. These meetings will provide residents with an opportunity to share feedback and learn more about ongoing efforts to promote air quality.

Have Questions or Concerns?

This blog will be regularly updated as new information becomes available from Citgo and community meetings. We want to ensure all community members have access to accurate, comprehensive information about air quality and safety.

If you have questions you'd like addressed in future updates to this blog, please reach out to:

mark@pawlakproperties.com

Your questions will help us ensure this resource includes all the information the community needs. We'll continue adding details as they're provided by Citgo representatives and from future community meetings.

Last Updated: December 30, 2025

For more background, read the Chicago Tribune's coverage of community concerns.

Additional Resources:

• Lemont Village Administrator: For village-level updates and concerns
• Will County Emergency Management Agency: For emergency notification information
• Illinois EPA: For regulatory oversight and compliance questions