Larry Rulison reports in the Times Union that SABIC Innovative Chemicals that runs a factory in Selkirk, was docked by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation with a $322,400 penalty for the accidental release of 22,057 pounds of poisonous styrene vapor into the air in 2020. In May 2020, a styrene vapor leak in India killed 12 people and hospitalized hundreds, according to the newspaper. In Ravena no one died, but multiple roads were closed, homes within half-a-mile were evacuated, and residents within a mile were told to shelter in place. The state Office of Emergency Management, the State Police, the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and local agencies all responded to the leak from a railcar. A subsequent inspection of the SABIC facility found other air pollution violations unrelated to the styrene vapor release at the southern Albany County plastic plant owned by Saudi Arabian interests. These enforcement actions include a substantial penalty and require SABIC to improve its operations to protect the surrounding community and the environment from further violations and prevent future emergencies,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos in a statement. Read more about this story in the Times Union.