Lion's office will be closed on Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. For help with online training, please contact support@lion.com.
Search

EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 11/3

Posted on 11/3/2020 by Lauren Scott

Every day, facilities across the US receive Notices of Violation from US EPA for alleged noncompliance with a wide variety of programs like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts; chemical management and reporting regulations (TSCA, EPCRA, CERCLA, etc.); hazardous waste management and disposal standards (RCRA); and much more.

Below are examples of recent EPA enforcement actions that provide insight into how and why EPA issues civil penalties to facilities for environmental noncompliance. Names of companies and individuals cited by EPA are withheld to protect their privacy.
 

WHO: A frozen dessert and ice cream company
WHERE: Phoenix, AZ
WHAT: Clean Air Act violations
HOW MUCH: $268,406

EPA has announced a settlement with an ice cream and frozen dessert maker over alleged violations of Clean Air Act’s risk management program requirements. During a 2019 inspection, EPA found the company allegedly failed to implement recommended process hazard findings, failed to comply with process safety information requirements, and failed to have appropriate pipe and instrument labeling for its anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system.

The facility was inspected as part of EPA’s National Compliance Initiative to reduce the likelihood of accidental releases at anhydrous ammonia refrigeration facilities and other facilities that store and use hazardous chemicals.
 

WHO: An ammonium nitrate manufacturer
WHERE: St. David, AZ
WHAT: Clean Air Act and CERCLA violations
HOW MUCH: $1.5 million

A company that makes nitrogen-based substances for mining and agricultural products has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve alleged violations of Federal chemical accident prevention requirements. The company also agreed to make widespread safety enhancements, including making improvements to its preventive maintenance tracking system, conducting an audit of its process safety culture, and installing a new anhydrous ammonia monitoring system.

EPA began investigating the company after more than 52,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia were released after offloading a railcar in June 2014.The company had an additional accidental release in August 2015, after which it failed to immediately notify the National Response Center and State and local authorities.
 

WHO: A trucking and salvage company
WHERE: Monroe, WA
WHAT: Clean Water Act violations
HOW MUCH: $300,000

According to EPA, a trucking company in the Pacific Northwest improperly delivered more than 54,000 cubic yards of fill material to a local landowner. The fill was then discharged into wetlands, an oxbow of the Skykomish River, and a perennial stream without obtaining the required permits. The incidents occurred over a three-year period starting in 2008.

In addition to paying a penalty, the company agreed to perform significant restoration work. This includes removing roughly 40,000 cubic yards of unauthorized fill from the oxbow of the Skykomish River and nearby wetlands, regrading the site, and funding revegetation efforts.
 

Convenient, Effective Online EHS Manager Training

Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, EPCRA, CERLCA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field or need an update on changing EPA rules, online training is a convenient way to quickly build in-depth expertise.

Check out the latest EPA compliance training options here:
 
Complete Environmental Regulations
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online 
 

Tags: ammonium nitrate, anhydrous ammonia, Arizona, CERCLA, chemical release prevention, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, environmental news, EPA, EPA Enforcement Roundup, Washington

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The instructor was excellent. They knew all of the material without having to read from a notepad or computer.

Gary Hartzell

Warehouse Supervisor

No comparison. Lion has the best RCRA training ever!!

Matt Sabine

Environmental Specialist

Much better than my previous class with another company. The Lion instructor made sense, kept me awake and made me laugh!

Marti Severs

Enterprise Safety Manager

I can take what I learned in this workshop and apply it to everyday work and relate it to my activities.

Shane Hersh

Materials Handler

The instructor took a rather drab set of topics and brought them to life with realistic real-life examples.

Tom Berndt

HSE Coordinator

I love that the instructor emphasized the thought process behind the regs.

Rebecca Saxena

Corporate Product Stewardship Specialist

We have a very busy work schedule and using Lion enables us to take the course at our own time. It makes it easy for me to schedule my employees' training.

Timothy Mertes

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Best instructor ever! I was going to take my DOT training w/a different provider, but based on this presentation, I will also be doing my DOT training w/Lion!

Donna Moot

Hazardous Waste Professional

Lion is at the top of the industry in compliance training. Course content and structure are updated frequently to make annual re-training enjoyable. I like that Lion has experts that I can contact for 1 year after the training.

Caroline Froning

Plant Chemist

Convenient; I can train when I want, where I want.

Barry Cook

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Four key considerations to help you maximize the convenience and quality of your experience with online training.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.