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

Release Date: 02/02/2012
Contact Information: Angela Chung, EPA Enforcement Coordinator, 206-553-6511, [email protected]; Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-1203, [email protected]

(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
AKAnchorage11/04/11Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Failure to comply with hazardous waste generator and universal waste management requirements. (RCRA)*$6,000
IDIdaho Falls12/13/11City of Idaho FallsExceeding discharge permit limits at the City’s wastewater treatment plant, including ammonia and E. coli limits. (CWA)*N/A (compliance order)
IDPocatello10/13/11Harris, Inc.Deficiencies in stormwater plans and controls during construction of a new building. (CWA)*$7,000
IDPocatello11/22/11Frazier Industrial CompanyFailure to submit a timely Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for 1, 2, 4-trimethylbenzene. (EPCRA)*$4,100
ORAlbany12/19/11U.S. Department of Energy - National Energy Technology LaboratoryFailure to comply with hazardous waste generator and universal waste management requirements. (RCRA)*$1,500
ORAstoria10/13/11Da Yang Seafood, Inc.Failure to maintain complete service and maintenance records for large refrigerated appliances that contain ozone-depleting substances. (CAA)*$26,800
ORCentral Point10/20/11Grange Cooperative Supply AssociationSale and distribution of a misbranded pesticide product. (FIFRA)*$57,040
OREugene11/22/11Johnson Crushers InternationalExcess xylene air emissions. (CAA)*$115,000 to the U.S. (additional penalty paid to local agency)
ORPortland11/03/11McClure Industries, Inc.Failure to submit a timely Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for styrene. (EPCRA)*$3,800
ORWarm Springs11/18/11Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation – Simnasho Schoolie water systemArsenic levels above drinking water limits. (SDWA)*N/A (compliance order)
WAAuburn11/03/11Formula Corp.Failure to submit a timely Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI) Reporting Form for glycol ethers. (EPCRA)*$3,800
WAKent11/23/11Burlington Environmental LLCIllegal storage and treatment of hazardous waste. (RCRA)*$275,000
WASeattle11/18/11Avista Recycling, Inc.Attempted illegal export of cathode ray tubes. (RCRA)*$31,600
WASeattle10/13/11Northern Lights, Inc.Import of marine engines without information required by the Clean Air Act. $2,500
WAWinlock11/30/11Philip and Kimberly SmithUnauthorized 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 2011Underground Storage Tank FacilitiesFailure 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: https://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/Press%20Releases%20From%20Region%2010!OpenView