EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 5/2
Every day, facilities across the US receive Notices of Violation from US EPA for alleged noncompliance with a wide variety of programs like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, chemical management and reporting regulations (TSCA, EPCRA, CERCLA, etc.), hazardous waste management and disposal standards (RCRA), and much more.
In January 2017, EPA raised its fines for noncompliance with major environmental programs. We hope that providing information about EPA enforcement cases will help you identify and fix noncompliance issues that could leave your company facing costly penalties and future liability.
Who: A national retail chain
The parent company for a chain of retail “dollar stores” will pay more than $1 million to resolve violations of Federal and State hazardous waste requirements. From Waste Today magazine.: “According to the report, the chain of stores is accused of routinely sending hazardous wastes, including automotive fluids, alkaline batteries, electronic waste, aerosol cans and expired over-the-counter medicines, to local landfills that were not permitted to receive them.”
Under Federal RCRA regulations and California’s unique Title 22 hazardous waste rules, generators of hazardous waste may ship that waste only to facilities permitted to treat and/or dispose of it properly. The article goes on to say that inspectors collected evidence of violations in part by conducting covert searches of the retail stores’ garbage bins.
New online course: Meet California DTSC’s annual training mandate for hazardous waste managers and personnel with convenient online Title 22 refresher training now available at Lion.com.
Who: An oil refinery
Who: 8 gas stations
In January 2017, EPA raised its fines for noncompliance with major environmental programs. We hope that providing information about EPA enforcement cases will help you identify and fix noncompliance issues that could leave your company facing costly penalties and future liability.
Who: A national retail chain
What: Federal and State hazardous waste violations
Where: Kern County, CA
How much: $1.1 million
Under Federal RCRA regulations and California’s unique Title 22 hazardous waste rules, generators of hazardous waste may ship that waste only to facilities permitted to treat and/or dispose of it properly. The article goes on to say that inspectors collected evidence of violations in part by conducting covert searches of the retail stores’ garbage bins.
New online course: Meet California DTSC’s annual training mandate for hazardous waste managers and personnel with convenient online Title 22 refresher training now available at Lion.com.
Who: An oil refinery
What: Clean Air Act NSPS and NESHAPs violations
Where: Paulsboro, NJ
How much: $180,000
A consent decree lodged by the Department of Justice on April 19, 2017, orders a New Jersey oil refinery to pay $180,000 and make facility upgrades to settle alleged Clean Air Act violations.
According to DOJ and EPA, the company failed to operate three of its flares in line with accepted air pollution control practices.
The company allegedly violated Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for oil refineries, and the refinery’s Clean Air Act Title V permit.
According to DOJ and EPA, the company failed to operate three of its flares in line with accepted air pollution control practices.
The company allegedly violated Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) for oil refineries, and the refinery’s Clean Air Act Title V permit.
Who: 8 gas stations
Where: NY, CT, and NH
What: RCRA Underground Storage Tank (UST) violations
How much: $490,000 in fines and injunctive relief
The owners of a chain of gas stations in the Northeast will pay a $60,000 civil penalty and spend over $400,000 to resolve noncompliance with RCRA underground storage tank (UST) regulations.
According to the DOJ’s consent decree, the company failed to install overfill protection on its USTs, failed to install and test release detection on tanks and piping, and failed to maintain adequate records. Now, the company will install a centralized monitoring system at twenty-six of its gas stations in the area.
Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, EPCRA, CERLCA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field, or need an update on changing EPA rules, the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course will help you quickly build in-depth expertise.
Or, check out the latest individual EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
The 2017 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
According to the DOJ’s consent decree, the company failed to install overfill protection on its USTs, failed to install and test release detection on tanks and piping, and failed to maintain adequate records. Now, the company will install a centralized monitoring system at twenty-six of its gas stations in the area.
Convenient, Effective Online EHS Manager Training
Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, EPCRA, CERLCA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field, or need an update on changing EPA rules, the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course will help you quickly build in-depth expertise.Or, check out the latest individual EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
The 2017 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is now available. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
Tags: Act, Air, Clean, EPA, EPA Enforcement Roundup, hazardous waste, RCRA
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