Marathon Oil reaches $241 million settlement with EPA for environmental violations in North Dakota

WASHINGTON — The federal government announced Thursday that it has reached a $241.5 million settlement with Marathon Oil over alleged air quality violations at the company’s oil and gas operations on the Forth Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department, the settlement requires Marathon to reduce emissions from those facilities that are harmful to the climate and health, resulting in a reduction of more than 2.3 million tons of pollution.

“This historic settlement — the largest civil penalty ever for Clean Air Act violations at stationary sources — will ensure cleaner air for the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and other North Dakota communities while holding Marathon accountable for its illegal pollution,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

The marathon’s organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.