(Seattle – February 2, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed 26 enforcement actions from October through December 2011 to ensure individuals, businesses and governments are complying with environmental regulations. The EPA’s compliance assistance programs help people understand and follow federal environmental laws. Enforcement deters those who might otherwise profit from violating the law and levels the playing field with environmentally compliant companies. Protecting human health and the environment is the ultimate objective.

Below is a summary table of EPA’s enforcement actions during the first quarter of federal fiscal year 2012 (October – December 2011). An important component of EPA’s enforcement activities, and a key way to deter misconduct, is to assess penalties for violations. For the cases where EPA assessed penalties, the penalty amount is listed in the table. EPA Region 10 assessed a total of $540,480 in penalties during the first quarter. Penalty amounts may vary depending on a variety of factors, such as the magnitude of the violation, how quickly the violations are corrected, and whether there are past violations. Compliance Orders direct the violator to bring their activities back into compliance with environmental laws, and may not include penalties.

October 1 – December 31, 2011

 

State

City of violation

Date issued/ filed

Respondent

Description of Alleged Violation

Penalty amount

AK

Anchorage

11/04/11

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Failure to comply with hazardous waste generator and universal waste management requirements. (RCRA)*

$6,000

ID

Idaho Falls

12/13/11

City of Idaho Falls

Exceeding discharge permit limits at the City’s wastewater treatment plant, including ammonia and E. coli limits. (CWA)*

N/A (compliance order)

ID

Pocatello

10/13/11

Harris, Inc.

Deficiencies in stormwater plans and controls during construction of a new building. (CWA)*

$7,000

ID

Pocatello

11/22/11

Frazier Industrial Company

Failure to submit a timely

Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for 1, 2, 4-trimethylbenzene. (EPCRA)*

$4,100

OR

Albany

12/19/11

U.S. Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory

Failure to comply with hazardous waste generator and universal waste management requirements. (RCRA)*

$1,500

OR

Astoria

10/13/11

Da Yang Seafood, Inc.

Failure to maintain complete service and maintenance records for large refrigerated appliances that contain

ozone-depleting substances. (CAA)*

$26,800

OR

Central Point

10/20/11

Grange Cooperative Supply Association

Sale and distribution of a

misbranded pesticide product. (FIFRA)*

$57,040

OR

Eugene

11/22/11

Johnson Crushers International

Excess

xylene air emissions. (CAA)*

$115,000 to the U.S. (additional penalty paid to local agency)

OR

Portland

11/03/11

McClure Industries, Inc.

Failure to submit a timely

Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for styrene. (EPCRA)*

$3,800

OR

Warm Springs

11/18/11

Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation – Simnasho Schoolie water system

Arsenic levels above drinking water limits. (SDWA)*

N/A (compliance order)

WA

Auburn

11/03/11

Formula Corp.

Failure to submit a timely

Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for glycol ethers. (EPCRA)*

$3,800

WA

Kent

11/23/11

Burlington Environmental LLC

 

Illegal storage and treatment of hazardous waste. (RCRA)*

$275,000

WA

Seattle

11/18/11

Avista Recycling, Inc.

Attempted

illegal export of cathode ray tubes.(RCRA)*

$31,600

WA

Seattle

10/13/11

Northern Lights, Inc.

Import of marine engines without information required by the Clean Air Act.

$2,500

WA

Winlock

11/30/11

Philip and Kimberly Smith

Unauthorized discharge of dredged and fill materials into wetlands. (CWA)*

Contingent penalty of $200,000 if respondent violates Consent Decree terms.

AK

ID

OR

WA

Kodiak and Fairbanks

Gooding

Canyonville

Moses Lake, Royal City, Brewster, Ephrata

October- December 2011

Underground Storage Tank Facilities

Failure to conduct tests to detect or prevent releases to the environment. (RCRA)*

$6,340 for violations at 11 facilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* EPCRA – Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act

FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

CWA – Clean Water Act

CAA – Clean Air Act

RCRA – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

SDWA – Safe Drinking Water Act

TRI – Toxic Release Inventory

 

EPA Region 10 News Releases – http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/Press%20Releases%20From%20Region%2010!OpenView

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