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EPA Enforcement Actions and Press Releases


EPA Enforcement Actions and Press Releases highlights recent enforcement actions issued by EPA to Federal Facilities and private industry that may be of benefit to the federal community.
 
Aug 14, 2023
EPA has finalized an Administrative Consent Order with the U.S. Department of the Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) that requires steps to ensure the safe defueling and closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The Consent Order also includes provisions to ensure that the Navy properly operates and maintains the Joint Base's drinking water system to protect the health and safety of its consumers and the aquifer feeding the system. This is the latest step in EPA's work to oversee the Navy and DOD's response to the November 2021 fuel release at Red Hill and the process following the decision to close Red Hill.
May 05, 2023
EPA issued an emergency order to the USAF to enhance and expedite measures to address an ongoing oil discharge into Union Creek from the Travis AFB. EPA has determined that a substantial threat exists to local waterbodies and shorelines because of the ongoing discharge and previous similar incidents on Travis AFB. The order, issued under the CWA, compels the AF to mitigate the oil discharge. The order also requires the AF to enter into a unified command structure that brings together the oil spill response expertise of federal, state and local governments to address the discharge. Oil discharges to Union Creek from Travis AFB were first identified by the AF as early as October 2021, but were not reported to EPA or the National Response Center until February 2022. Since that time, the AF has made numerous notifications to the National Response Center regarding an oil sheen on Union Creek, including reporting a spill of jet fuel from a pipeline on the base on August 2022. These spill notifications have continued to occur in 2023. The AF has yet to take action to identify and address the source of the oil discharge to Union Creek. The initial oil spill response efforts implemented by the AF at Travis AFB were limited, and these efforts were only upgraded after input from EPA and the CA DFW Office of Spill Prevention and Response.
Dec 29, 2022
During fiscal year (FY) 2022, EPA's enforcement and compliance program continued its mission to target the most serious water, air, land, and chemical violations and hazards that impact communities across the country. Their work reduced, treated or eliminated 95 million pounds of pollutants, and required violators to pay over $300 million in penalties fines and restitution. Our primary focus was advancing environmental justice (EJ), rebuilding EPA's national inspector corps, and working to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly in communities overburdened by pollution. EPAs FY 2022 accomplishments focused on protecting vulnerable communities using the full range of compliance monitoring and enforcement tools, including inspections, technical assistance supported by advanced technologies, and early actions and innovative remedies to ensure high levels of compliance with federal environmental laws and regulations.
Aug 15, 2022
(Honolulu, August 11, 2022) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement with the U.S. Marine Corps to make improvements related to stormwater discharges at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) located on the Mokapu Peninsula of Kaneohe, Oahu.
Jun 27, 2022
EPA announced that the U.S. Air Force has agreed to pay a $206,811 penalty for hazardous waste storage and handling violations at the Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island in Alaska. EPA alleges the Air Force stored hazardous wastes at the air station without a permit and failed to properly label and inspect waste containers and an above-ground storage tank in which the hazardous wastes were stored. EPA found that the Air Force improperly stored more than a ton of hazardous paints, hydrochloric acid, methyl ethyl ketone, and oxidizers, and more than 25 tons of hazardous waste fuel and oil. These wastes were stored for years longer than allowed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act which governs the handling of hazardous wastes. The agency also determined the Air Force failed to properly manage its universal waste, including batteries, lamps, and aerosol cans. In addition to paying the $206,811 penalty, the Air Force has also agreed to ship off-site and properly dispose of approximately 55,000 pounds of hazardous waste by the end of June 2022, improve its hazardous waste and universal waste management practices, and appropriately close the area where hazardous waste was improperly stored.
Mar 25, 2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pay a $60,191 penalty for alleged violations of hazardous waste management at the Washington Aqueduct water treatment facility in Washington, D.C.. The penalty is part of a 4 March 2022 consent agreement that resolves alleged violations of the RCRA, the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. Adhering to hazardous waste violations at the Washington Aqueduct was especially significant because the facility had conducted a large construction project that generated about 49 tons of lead grit, which is considered a hazardous waste. Alleged violations, which had no impact on drinking water distributed by the facility, were related to inspections, employee training and failure to submit a biennial report. The settlement penalty reflects the company's compliance efforts, and its cooperation with EPA. As part of the settlement, the Army Corps has certified its compliance with applicable RCRA requirements.
Jul 14, 2021
EPA announced a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA) with the U.S. Navy to complete major upgrades to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant treats domestic and industrial wastewater from the Navy's Pearl Harbor facilities and has exceeded its discharge limits to the Pacific Ocean under the Clean Water Act. This settlement furthers EPA's National Compliance Initiative to reduce the number of U.S. facilities that are in significant non-compliance, and to improve surface water quality by ensuring dischargers comply with permit requirements.
Apr 01, 2021
Under an agreement with the EPA, the USDA Forest Service closed 77 large-capacity cesspools (LCCs) it operated in Arizona and California. The Forest Service met the deadlines set forth in the agreement and closed the cesspools, which can be sources of harmful water pollution, in 11 national forests across the two states. Cesspools collect and release untreated raw sewage into the ground, where disease-causing pathogens and harmful chemicals can contaminate groundwater and surface waters that are sources of drinking water. Although EPA banned LCCs – which serve 20 or more people per day or serve a multi-unit residential building -- under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 2005, the Forest Service continued to operate LCCs in national forests after the closure deadline. When EPA identified these cesspools in 2016, the Forest Service agreed to close these units under an administrative order on consent with enforceable deadlines and completed the closures by 30 Dec. 2020.
Jan 28, 2021
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska, announced a settlement for violations of federal laws governing the handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes. JBER self-disclosed that approximately 200,000 pounds of expended small-arms cartridge casings (ESACCs) had been stockpiled and were determined to be toxic from lead contamination. The Base had successfully recycled all its brass casings until 2017, when the recycling was discontinued. The resolution of this case sets the stage for a resumption of the ESACC recycling program, and the proceeds will fund other base-wide recycling efforts at JBER. The Base has paid a $61,554 penalty as part of the settlement.
EPA announced a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA) with the Navy whereby the Navy will complete major upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant on San Clemente Island. San Clemente Island is home to Navy SEAL training facilities and is the Navy's only remaining ship-to-shore live firing range. The EPA and Navy entered into the FFCA to address violations at the treatment plant tied to discharge of pollutants, which can impact water quality and ocean wildlife. These violations place the facility in Significant Non-Compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The Navy also violated its permit by failing to properly operate and maintain all facilities and for failing to perform maintenance on all monitoring instruments. This settlement furthers EPA's National Compliance Initiative to reduce facilities that are in Significant Non-Compliance and improve surface water quality by assuring dischargers comply with NPDES permit requirements.
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