Polluting refiner gets teeny, teeny, tiny slap on wrist

Oh, why did they even bother. Just taking the time of a minimum wage clerk to file the darn thing would cost more than the fine does.

Flint Hills Resources was fined $2,740 by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for failing to prevent the release of more than 900 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 69 pounds of benzene in October.

The violation, which the refinery company reported to the regulatory agency, is among incidents the agency disclosed for 69 regulated entities. The total in fines against those 69 was $516,606. Other area fines include $1,920 against Packard Tire Service on two violations of its tire disposal system and $12,250 against the city of Gregory for five violations in its wastewater system.

Is the TCEQ trying to insult our intelligence?