EPA Settles Stormwater Case to Protect Richmond Water Quality

EPA News Release:

EPA Settles Stormwater Case to Protect Richmond Water Quality

PHILADELPHIA (July 22, 2014) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the city of Richmond has settled alleged violations of Clean Water Act regulations that protect waterways from polluted stormwater runoff.

In a consent agreement with EPA, Richmond has agreed to pay a $12,000 penalty to settle the alleged violations related to its storm sewer system and notified EPA that the city is now in compliance with the applicable regulations.

Violations included failure to:

• ·       Obtain required industrial stormwater permits for applicable city facilities.
• ·       Prevent soluble and erodible materials from exposure to precipitation.
• ·       Implement an employee training program to help prevent stormwater pollution.

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff often contains oil and grease, chemicals, nutrients and other pollutants. The Clean Water Act requires storm sewer systems to obtain a state-issued discharge permit and develop a storm water management program to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed from or dumped into the system. These permits include pollution-reducing best management practices such as spill prevention safeguards, material storage and coverage requirements, runoff reduction measures, and employee training.

As part of the settlement, the city did not admit liability for the alleged violations, but has stated that it is now in compliance with applicable Clean Water Act requirements.

For more information about EPA’s storm water program, visit http://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater