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Three Companies Voluntarily Self-Disclose and Correct Environmental Violations

Release Date: 2/23/2005
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has agreed to waive potential penalties against three companies that voluntarily reported toxic chemical release reporting violations to the agency.

The companies are AES Warrior Run, Inc., Cumberland, Md.; Kidde Fire Fighting, Inc., Ranson, W. Va.; and Hanson Pipe & Products, Inc. which has eight facilities in Virginia and one facility in Maryland.

“We encourage other companies to follow the example of these companies by promptly disclosing environmental problems to EPA and correcting them,” said EPA Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh.

The companies reported their environmental violations under EPA’s audit policy which was developed to encourage companies to audit themselves for environmental compliance. In these self-audits, if problems are found, reported promptly to EPA, and corrected, the companies can substantially reduce, if not eliminate, penalties. The policy was developed to encourage environmental compliance.

The policy does not cover criminal violations, or violations that resulted in significant harm to public health or the environment. EPA will also not waive penalties covering any economic benefit created by past violations.

AES Warrior Run, Inc., disclosed it had failed to submit to EPA and Maryland its toxic chemical release reports on time for several chemicals in 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Kidde Fire Fighting, Inc., disclosed that it had failed to timely file to EPA and West Virginia a report for lead and copper for 1998 through 2002.

Hanson Pipe & Products, Inc., disclosed it had not submitted reports on time to EPA,

Virginia, and Maryland for lead for 2001 and 2002 for several facilities in Virginia and Maryland.

EPA has determined that each company was entitled to a 100 percent penalty reduction under EPA=s self-disclosure policy dated April, 2000.

By self-disclosing and correcting the environmental problems, EPA was able to waive what would have been a total of $581,350 in administrative penalties. Individually, the penalties waived were $182,050 for AES Warrior Run, Inc., $248,600 for Kidde Fire Fighting, Inc., and $150,700 for Hanson Pipe & Products, Inc.

The self-disclosure policy is designed to encourage the regulated community to
disclose its violations to EPA with the understanding that a penalty mitigation may be incurred.

For more information on the audit policy, call the EPA Business Assistance center

at 800-228-8711 or visit the EPA web site at .
To learn more about EPA’s self-disclosure policy and other compliance assistance programs visit EPA’s website at .


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