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EPA Reaches $30,000 Clean Water Act Settlement with Inlet Fish Producers, Inc. of Kenai, Alaska

Release Date: 08/23/2006
Contact Information: Margo Young, (206) 553-1603, [email protected] Mark MacIntyre, (206) 553-7302 [email protected]

(Anchorage, AK – August 23, 2006) As part of an ongoing campaign to improve compliance with the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a $30,000 settlement with Inlet Fish Producers, an Alaskan seafood processor based in Kenai, Alaska. Following an inspection at their facility, the company was cited for discharge of seafood processing waste without authorization from a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

Although the previous operator of the facility, Inlet Fisheries, Inc. was authorized under the General Permit for Seafood Processors in Alaska, the new operators did not obtain permit coverage in accordance with the requirements of the permit. Inlet Fish Producers, Inc. discharged without permit coverage from 2002-2004. Furthermore, EPA and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation inspectors observed deficiencies in the
facility’s seafood waste treatment process during inspections on July 31, 2002 and July 26, 2004.

“Our message to the seafood processing industry is clear,” said Kim Ogle, EPA’s regional NPDES Compliance Manager. “Operators need to obtain and follow federal discharge permits or face penalties. We take protecting Alaska’s water quality very seriously.”

In response to this action, Inlet Fish Producers, Inc. applied for and received authorization to discharge from its Kenai facility on June 3, 2005.