EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 9/18

In today’s EPA Enforcement Roundup, a wood treatment facility and a city power and water authority will pay for hazardous waste and Clean Water Act violations, respectively. In addition, EPA will collect a civil penalty from a city-owned incinerator in New Hampshire from failure to come into compliance with new Clean Air Act emissions requirements.

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All accusations of environmental violations herein are “alleged” unless otherwise noted. Lion News does not publish names of individuals or companies impacted by EPA enforcement.

WHO: A wood treatment facility
WHERE: Eugene, OR
WHAT: Hazardous waste management violations
HOW MUCH: $64,000

For alleged improper handling and storage of hazardous waste, a wood treatment facility in Oregon will pay a $64,000 civil penalty.

Alleged violations uncovered during inspection in 2014 include staining from waste wood preservative chemicals outside a containment area (due to an inadequately cleaned drip pad) and unmarked, undated containers of hazardous waste.

To keep your site in compliance with the latest RCRA hazardous waste regulations, you need up-to-date training that builds real-world knowledge and skills. Join us when Lion presents the RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Workshop in St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Detroit in Fall 2018.

WHO: A city water and power authority
WHERE: Los Angeles, CA
WHAT: Clean Water Act violations
HOW MUCH: $94,000 + $5M in mitigation credits

A Los Angeles city water and power authority will purchase $5.3 million in mitigation credits and pay a civil penalty for allegedly filling and channelizing eight acres of open water and wetlands without a permit.

Dredge-and-fill material is one of many discharges regulated under the Clean Water Act that require a permit. During inspections of the property, Federal and State environmental agencies found violations
 

WHO: A city-owned incinerator
WHERE: Manchester, N.H.
WHAT: Clean Air Act emissions violations
HOW MUCH: $131,800 civil penalty

In addition to paying a $131,800 civil penalty for alleged excess mercury pollution from a sewage incinerator, the city of Manchester, N.H. will also spend $6 million on facility upgrades, i.e. installation and monitoring of pollution control equipment.

The violations relate to a new requirement for sewage sludge incinerators in effect as of 2016, which require these facilities to limit, test, and meet stringent emission standards for ten key air pollutants. Earlier this year, another incinerator self-reported its difficulties coming into compliance with those new Clean Air Act rules.
 

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Tags: Act, Air, Clean, Clean Water Act, EPA, fines and penalties, hazardous waste