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.
For the second time in six months,
EPA last month 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.
Who: Two energy companies
Where: Navajo Nation (in New Mexico and Arizona)
What: Superfund cleanup settlement
How much: $600,000
To continue clean-up of waste from two uranium mines in Navajo Nation, two energy companies settled with US EPA to cover about $600,000 in costs. The settlement is part of an ongoing effort to clean up waste left at abandoned uranium mines in the Western US.
According to a press release, EPA has $1.7 billion in enforcement agreements in place to cleanup more than 500 abandoned mines from which 30 million tons of uranium ore was taken during the Cold War. EPA has a website devoted to the uranium mine cleanup operations on Navajo land here.
Who: A landowner
Where: Warrenton, OR
What: Clean Water Act discharge violations
How much: $62,924
To settle allegations that his limited liability corporation illegally discharged dredged or fill material into protected wetlands without a permit, an Oregon landowner will pay $62,924 civil penalty.
In addition to paying the civil penalty, the landowner will perform restoration work on the wetlands area affected. According to EPA’s press release, the case was referred to EPA by the state of Oregon and the Army Corps of Engineers “based on multiple past violations by the family’s companies.”
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:
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.