EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 8/22
Every day, facilities across the US receive Notices of Violation from Federal and State environmental agencies 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.
In January 2017, EPA raised its fines for noncompliance with major environmental programs. We hope that providing information about EPA enforcement cases will help you identify and fix noncompliance issues that could leave your company facing costly penalties and future liability.
In this week’s EPA Enforcement Roundup, an environmental fugitive is on the run after escaping police custody, a metal etching company pays for RCRA hazardous waste violations, and more.
A fugitive who escaped from custody during a prison transport in Wyoming years ago has been added to the EPA’s “most wanted” list. Authorities say James Kenneth Ward was hired to dispose of oil exploration filter bags, or “socks,” containing material contaminated with radioactive substances. Instead of properly disposing of the hazardous waste, Mr. Ward left the filter bags at a gas station in North Dakota.
Ward faces Federal fraud charges for his role in the illegal disposal scheme. EPA warns that the fugitive should be considered “violent and dangerous.” If you see him, EPA asks that you report it through the EPA fugitive website or by calling the EPA criminal investigation division.
WHO: A metal design company
A Rhode Island business that creates keepsakes with metal etching will pay a six-figure penalty for failure to comply with both Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste rules and requirements for emergency preparedness under the Clean Air Act Risk Management Plan (RMP) program.
The company’s manufacturing process requires ferric chloride, so the company stored about 8,000 pounds of chlorine gas on site in four large cylinders. Facilities that use or store large volumes of certain hazardous chemicals are required under the Clean Air Act RMP rules to take steps to prevent catastrophic releases of the chemical.
In addition to paying the civil penalty, the design company will reduce the volume of chlorine it stores to levels below those that trigger the Risk Management Plan requirements, install new equipment, re-plumb its chlorine piping system, and install an alarm and shut-down system to prevent releases. See EPA’s press release here.
In 2016, EPA finalized new Clean Air Act requirements for emissions from sewage sludge incinerators. Those updated rules require operators to test and limit emissions of ten pollutants, including mercury.
For failure to meet the deadline for compliance with these updated Clean Air Act rules, the city of Waterbury, Connecticut and the contractor who operates the city’s sludge incinerator have settled with EPA and the Department of Justice. The city and the contractor will pay a $104,000 penalty and have agreed to install and operate new mercury controls within 18 months. In addition, the company will come into compliance with all the requirements in the updated Clean Air Act emissions rules.
Do you work or supervise cleanup operations at a Superfund site? Meet OSHA’s annual training requirement for cleanup personnel at “uncontrolled hazardous waste sites” at the 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher Workshop, only available at the new Lion Training Center in Sparta, NJ!
Now only $199! Join us on October 25 to keep your HAZWOPER certification training up-to-date.
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, the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course will help you quickly build in-depth expertise.
Or, check out the latest individual EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
The 2017 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
In January 2017, EPA raised its fines for noncompliance with major environmental programs. We hope that providing information about EPA enforcement cases will help you identify and fix noncompliance issues that could leave your company facing costly penalties and future liability.
In this week’s EPA Enforcement Roundup, an environmental fugitive is on the run after escaping police custody, a metal etching company pays for RCRA hazardous waste violations, and more.
WHO: An environmental fugitive
WHERE: North Dakota and Wyoming
WHAT: Illegal disposal of radioactive waste
HOW MUCH: Max 5 years in jail and $250,000 penalty
A fugitive who escaped from custody during a prison transport in Wyoming years ago has been added to the EPA’s “most wanted” list. Authorities say James Kenneth Ward was hired to dispose of oil exploration filter bags, or “socks,” containing material contaminated with radioactive substances. Instead of properly disposing of the hazardous waste, Mr. Ward left the filter bags at a gas station in North Dakota.Ward faces Federal fraud charges for his role in the illegal disposal scheme. EPA warns that the fugitive should be considered “violent and dangerous.” If you see him, EPA asks that you report it through the EPA fugitive website or by calling the EPA criminal investigation division.
WHO: A metal design company
WHERE: Lincoln, RI
WHAT: RCRA and Clean Air Act RMP violations
HOW MUCH: $221,326
A Rhode Island business that creates keepsakes with metal etching will pay a six-figure penalty for failure to comply with both Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste rules and requirements for emergency preparedness under the Clean Air Act Risk Management Plan (RMP) program.The company’s manufacturing process requires ferric chloride, so the company stored about 8,000 pounds of chlorine gas on site in four large cylinders. Facilities that use or store large volumes of certain hazardous chemicals are required under the Clean Air Act RMP rules to take steps to prevent catastrophic releases of the chemical.
In addition to paying the civil penalty, the design company will reduce the volume of chlorine it stores to levels below those that trigger the Risk Management Plan requirements, install new equipment, re-plumb its chlorine piping system, and install an alarm and shut-down system to prevent releases. See EPA’s press release here.
WHO: City of Waterbury, CT and its contractor
WHERE: Waterbury, CT
WHAT: Failure to comply with CAA rules for mercury emissions
HOW MUCH: $104,000
In 2016, EPA finalized new Clean Air Act requirements for emissions from sewage sludge incinerators. Those updated rules require operators to test and limit emissions of ten pollutants, including mercury.For failure to meet the deadline for compliance with these updated Clean Air Act rules, the city of Waterbury, Connecticut and the contractor who operates the city’s sludge incinerator have settled with EPA and the Department of Justice. The city and the contractor will pay a $104,000 penalty and have agreed to install and operate new mercury controls within 18 months. In addition, the company will come into compliance with all the requirements in the updated Clean Air Act emissions rules.
OSHA 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher Workshop—10/25 in Sparta, NJ
Do you work or supervise cleanup operations at a Superfund site? Meet OSHA’s annual training requirement for cleanup personnel at “uncontrolled hazardous waste sites” at the 8-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher Workshop, only available at the new Lion Training Center in Sparta, NJ!Now only $199! Join us on October 25 to keep your HAZWOPER certification training up-to-date.
20+ Hours of EHS Manager Training - Available Anytime, Anywhere
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, the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course will help you quickly build in-depth expertise.Or, check out the latest individual EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
The 2017 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
Tags: Act, Air, Clean, EPA, EPA Enforcement Roundup, fines and penalties, hazardous waste, RCRA
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