Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Media Advisory: EPA Training on Toxics Release Inventory Database for the Media
EPA Press Release:
CONTACT:
Cathy Milbourn
202-564-7849
202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2014
Media Advisory: EPA Training on Toxics Release Inventory Database for the Media
WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program will offer training on the release of their 2012 national analysis on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. The training will provide a brief overview of the TRI program, discuss highlights of the most recent TRI data on toxic chemical releases and pollution prevention activities, and illustrate how the public can use TRI tools to find out what releases are occurring in the areas in which they live. The webinar is open to credential media only. After the webinar concludes, there will be a question and answer session. All participants should call the conference phone line and log on to the website below.
WHO: Renee Wynn, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Environmental Information
EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory Staff
WHAT: Webinar Training on TRI Database for Credential Media
WHEN: Tuesday, February 4, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Credential Media Dial: (877) 214-9356 Conference ID: 55807156
|
U.S. District Court Orders Stabl Inc. to Pay $2.2M Penalty for Violating Environmental Regulations at Lexington, Neb., Facility
EPA News Release:
Environmental News
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
U.S. District Court Orders Stabl Inc. to Pay $2.2M Penalty for Violating Environmental Regulations at Lexington, Neb., Facility
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Lenexa, Kan., Feb. 3, 2014) - The U.S. District Court in Omaha, Neb., has ordered Stabl Inc. to pay a $2,285,874 civil penalty for violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Nebraska Environmental Protection Act at its Lexington, Neb., rendering facility, EPA Region 7 announced today.
The Court supported its penalty findings based on facts presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) that Stabl had a long history of serious violations and that Stabl’s efforts to comply with environmental regulations were minimal.
According to the judgment, from August 2006 until May 2010, Stabl violated a series of environmental regulations. Sampling data from May 2006 through March 2008 indicates that Stabl violated discharge limits causing the City of Lexington’s wastewater treatment plant to violate its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Pollutants discharged by Stabl to the treatment plant include high levels of ammonia, oil and grease, among others.
NDEQ issued Stabl a Nebraska Pretreatment Program (NPP) permit in March 2008. The NPP permit established discharge limitations and required Stabl to monitor and report values for various pollutants discharged from the facility. Stabl was in frequent noncompliance with these requirements from the time the permit was issued until the time the facility was sold.
“The actions by Stabl over a multi-year period demonstrate a lack of compliance that had serious consequences for the city of Lexington, Neb., and the fragile Platte River basin,” Regional Administrator Karl Brooks said. “Protecting the waters of the United States is one of our most important missions, and this judgment sends a clear message that EPA will work closely with our state partners to ensure that chronic violators of the Clean Water Act will be held accountable.”
The Court found that Stabl Inc., formerly known as Nebraska By-Products, violated the CWA a total of 1,533 times, resulting in an economic benefit of more than $1.1 million. The facility was sold in May 2010, having never achieved compliance with CWA regulations.
Stabl has 60 days from the date of the judgment to appeal the decision. A copy of the Court’s decision is available online.
# # #
Monday, February 3, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)