Environmental groups celebrated a $400 million settlement Wednesday that is expected to clean up the air in the region.

 BP has been pushing to expand its refinery in Northwest Indiana which environmental groups have resisted.

Howard Learner, Executive Director with the Chicago Environmental Law and Policy Center, called the settlement against smog and soot pollution a victory.

“This is good for the environment, it’s good for public heath, and it’s good for job creation all working together,” he said.

Environmental groups said the settlement will reduce four-thousand tons of toxic air chemicals. It also provides local funding for job creation to prevent further air pollution.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that protects jobs, consumers, and the environment,” Steve Cornell, President of BP Products North America, said in a statement Wednesday.

The company has also agreed to pay $8 million in fines for allegedly violating air emissions standards in the past decade.