EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 5/14

In this week’s EPA Enforcement Roundup, an airline service provider, a commercial fishery, and an energy company face fines for noncompliance with EPA air, water, and chemical regulations.

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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: An airline service provider
WHERE: Charleston, WV
WHAT: Unpermitted hazardous waste storage
HOW MUCH: $750,000 and possible jail time

The president of an airport service company faces five years in prison and a criminal penalty of $250,000 for allegedly storing large quantities of hazardous waste and used oil in unlabeled 55-gallon drums, without a permit.

According to the Charleston Gazette Mail, a disgruntled employee may have tipped off regulators about the illegal hazardous waste storage after he was removed from the payroll. The report also says that the company’s president ordered the illegally stored drums moved to a rural location to avoid detection. 
In addition to the possible criminal penalties in this case, the company faces a corporate penalty of $500,000.

The 2018 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.
 

WHO: A commercial fishery  
WHERE: New Bedford, MA
WHAT: Clean Water Act violations
HOW MUCH: $414,000 total

For allegedly dish arching oil and oily bilge water from its fishing vessel into New Bedford Harbor, the US Coast Guard and the Department of Justice have ordered a commercial fishery to pay $414,000.

The fishery must also take steps to prevent illegal discharge of oil in the future. According to the Consent Decree, it must make the engine room water tight, eliminating excess oil and water from entering the engine room bilge, and hiring an engineering consultant to check the work. In addition, all oil transfers must be recorded in an Oil Log Book for three years.
MarineLog has more.
 

WHO: An energy company
WHERE: Iberville Parish, LA
WHAT: Clean Water Act Violations
HOW MUCH: $55,000

For allegedly violating Section 311(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act, an energy company will pay $55,000 and perform extensive injunctive relief. According the complaint from the US Coast Guard, the company discharged oil from an off-shore oil storage and production facility in the Frog Lake area of Louisiana.
Investigators who visited the facility identified “poor operations” that included improper management of oily wastes and residual crude oil.

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JOIN US LIVE! The 2018 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, Clean, EPA, EPA Enforcement Roundup, fines and penalties, hazardous waste, RCRA, Water