EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 10/13

The EPA Enforcement Roundup gives you insight into how and why US EPA and State partners assess penalties for environmental noncompliance.

All violations or claims discussed below are alleged only unless we say otherwise, and we withhold the names of organizations and individuals to protect their privacy.

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Four companies settled with US EPA to resolve alleged chemical reporting failures.

Four companies in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico face certified current compliance with US EPA and agreed to pay civil penalties to the Agency.

• A metalworking facility in NJ failed to report nickel usage for three years. The facility agreed to a $63,800 penalty.
• A chemical facility in NJ exceeded reporting thresholds and failed to report glycol ethers and nonylphenol ethoxylates over three years. The facility will pay a $39,800 penalty.
• A manufacturer in NY did not report nitrate compounds for two years. The company agreed to pay a penalty of $45,400.
• A metal finisher in Puerto Rico submitted late reports for zinc compounds and provided inaccurate data for nitric acid and cyanide compounds. The company has agreed to a penalty of $22,900.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), via the Toxics Release Inventory program, requires timely and accurate reporting of the use of hazardous chemicals.

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A biodiesel company settled with US EPA to resolve an alleged Clean Air Act violation in New Haven, Connecticut.

The biodiesel production facility allegedly failed to operate its facility to adequately comply with Clean Air Act requirements from August 2020 to August 2022. The Agency found that, during that two-year period, the facility failed to control the release of certain air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

VOCs include a variety of chemicals that are emitted from various sources, including industrial processes. VOCs are chemicals that are emitted from various sources and are a key precursor in the formation of ground level ozone that can degrade the air we breathe.

The company will pay a $143,000 penalty to resolve the alleged violation.

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A California pipeline company will pay a penalty in settlement to resolve claims of alleged Clean Water Act noncompliance.

According to the US EPA, a California pipeline company’s pipeline allegedly discharged over 40,000 gallons of gasoline into the environment in the San Francisco Bay Area. The pipeline will pay a penalty of $213,560.

Under the Clean Water Act, pipeline companies are required to maintain and operate pipelines assuring spills do not happen. If a spill does occur, it must be immediately contained as to not pose a threat to the environment.

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