Enforcing environmental laws is one of EPA’s fundamental responsibilities and helps keep our water safe, our land clean, and our air clear,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA Region 10 Compliance and Enforcement. “Vigorous and fair enforcement provides the protection our communities expect and the certainty sought by business and industry.”

EPA enforcement helps deter violators who might otherwise gain an unfair business advantage over their competitors who are environmentally compliant. Penalties vary depending on the severity of the violations, how quickly violations are corrected, and if there is a history of past violations. Compliance Orders direct violators to bring their activities into compliance with the rules, but do not include penalties. In October, November and December, EPA Region 10 assessed more than $630,000 in federal penalties against the violators.

EPA Region 10 enforcement actions from October through December 2012 are summarized below.

State

Location

Name

Violation

Penalty

Date

AK

Kenai

2-Go Mart Tesoro #206

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$210

10/09/2012

AK

Wasilla

Holiday Stationstore #650

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$420

10/11/2012

AK

Fairbanks

Holiday Stationstore #626

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$210

10/11/2012

AK

Anchorage

Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$1,260

10/11/2012

AK

North Slope Borough

Conoco Philips Alaska, Inc.

Spilled oil at Kuparuk River field (CWA)

$45,000

10/17/2012

AK

Healy

Golden Valley Electric and Alaska Industrial Development

Violated air permitting requirements at Healy power plant (CAA)

$115,000

11/19/2012

AK

Glacier Bay NP

Princess Cruise Lines

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

$20,000

12/17/2012

ID

Emmett

City of Emmett

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

Compliance Order

10/9/2012

ID

Jerome

Rite Stuff Foods, Inc.

Violated risk management program (RMP) rules

$2,000

10/11/2012

ID

Cottonwood

Valley Paving & Asphalt, Inc.

Operated asphalt plant without air permit (FARR)

$36,360

10/15/2012

ID

Boise

Residential Property Management

Violated lead-based paint disclosure rules (TSCA)

$6,800

10/15/2012

ID

Donnelly

David Callister

Filled wetlands without permit (CWA)

Compliance Order

10/18/2012

ID

Grand View

Black Sands Marina Resort

Violated spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC) rules

$2,500

10/24/2012

ID

Lenmore

Brad Grimm

Burned debris outdoors without air permit (FARR)

$300

11/01/2012

ID

Boise

HD Power Systems

Violated non-road engine rules (CAA)

$24,000

11/13/2012

ID

Inkom

City of Inkom

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

$28,160

11/26/2012

ID

Caldwell

Caldwell Housing Authority

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

Compliance Order

11/27/2012

ID

Pierce

City of Pierce – Wastewater Treatment Plant

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

$4,800

12/12/2012

ID

Pierce

City of Pierce – Water Treatment Plant

Violated wastewater discharge permit (CWA)

$2,100

12/12/2012

ID

Rexburg

Mother Hibbard’s Co. Store

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$420

12/18/2012

OR

Klamath Falls

Ferrell’s Fuel Network

Violated spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC) rules

$28,200

11/09/2012

OR

Eugene

Down to Earth

Imported unregistered pesticides (FIFRA)

Compliance Order

11/21/2012

WA

Olympia

Nisqually Automotive Towing

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$490

10/02/2012

WA

Longview

Mint Valley Golf Course

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$210

10/09/2012

WA

Bellingham

Lakeway Chevron

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$210

10/11/2012

WA

Fife

Fife Sand & Gravel, LLC

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$840

10/11/2012

WA

Chehalis

Pacific Pride 2

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$420

10/22/2012

WA

Moxee

Olympic Fruit Co.

Violated risk management program (RMP) rules

$33,964

10/22/2012

WA

Bellingham

King Street Shell

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$210

10/29/2012

WA

Tacoma

Gardner-Fields, Inc.

Sold misbranded wood preservatives (FIFRA)

$35,336

11/06/2012

WA

Olympia

U.S. Gas

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$840

11/07/2012

WA

Seattle

Briggs and Stratton Corp.

Violated non-road engine regulations (CAA)

$80,000

11/13/2012

WA

Moses Lake

AmeriCold Moses Lake Plant

Violated risk management program (RMP) rules

$2,340

11/20/2012

WA

Clallam Bay

Wash. Dept. of Corrections

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$1,260

11/29/2012

WA

Seattle

CertainTeed/Saint-Gobain

Violated toxics chemical release inventory reporting rules (EPCRA)

$42,300

12/05/2012

WA

Seattle

General Biodiesel, Inc.

Violated hazardous chemical emergency planning rules (EPCRA)

$62,985

12/12/2012

WA

Yelm

Park Place

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$70

12/12/2012

WA

Moses Lake

National Frozen Foods Corp.

Violated risk management program (RMP) rules

$4,500

12/17/2012

WA

Marysville

Totem Grocery & Gas

Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules

$48,078

12/28/2012

Environmental rules and regulations referenced in the case summaries above:

CAA – Clean Air Act
CWA – Clean Water Act
EPCRA – Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
FARR – Federal Air Rules for Reservations
FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
RMP – Risk Management Plan
SPCC – Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures
TSCA – Toxic Substances Control Act
UST – Underground Storage Tank

More about EPA compliance and enforcement actions: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/basics.html