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Hudson Company Pays $82,500 Penalty to Resolve Clean Water Violations

Release Date: 01/08/04
Contact Information: Contact: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1008

For Immediate Release: January 8, 2004; Release #04-01-02

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has settled an administrative complaint issued against Hudson Lock LLC of Hudson, MA for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

According to EPA's complaint, the company's discharges to the town's wastewater treatment facility contained zinc in concentrations well above the legal limit. EPA's complaint also alleges that Hudson Lock failed to apply in a timely manner for a storm water discharge permit and failed to conduct all of its required site compliance evaluations and monitoring once the facility did obtain the necessary permit coverage.

Hudson Lock has agreed to pay a $82,500 fine to resolve its liability for violations alleged in the administrative complaint.

"Protecting and preserving our nation's waters is a central part of EPA's job," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA's New England Office. "We're encouraged that Hudson Lock has taken the necessary steps to come into full compliance."

Hudson Lock owns and operates a key and lock manufacturing facility. Hudson Lock's discharges of zinc periodically exceeded, by significant amounts, the limits required for metal finishers nationwide, from at least December 1998 to May 2003.

The company also failed to apply for a storm water permit in a timely manner and implement an adequate storm water pollution prevention plan to prevent storm water from carrying pollution off the company's property to adjacent property or the town's storm water drainage system, which ultimately discharges to nearby Bruce's Pond.

During the course of Hudson Lock's day-to-day activities, its industrial pollutants have the potential to come into contact with storm water.

Hudson Lock has taken steps to reduce its zinc discharges, has applied for a storm water permit and has developed an adequate storm water pollution prevention plan.

Related Information:
Water Enforcement in New England
Clean Water Act
Storm water Topics