# EPA announces summary of Pacific Northwest and Alaska enforcement actions for Fall 2011

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/02/epa-announces-summary-of-pacific-northwest-and-alaska-enforcement-actions-for-fall-2011/
- Published: 2012-02-16T22:46:15-05:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

(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