EPA Press Office:

EPA requires Calumet Montana Refining to correct chemical risk management violations at Great Falls facility

Company pays fine, addresses Clean Air Act deficiencies

Contact Information

David Piantanida (Piantanida.david@epa.gov)

720-661-7482

Great Falls, Mont. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a Clean Air Act settlement in which Calumet Montana Refining, LLC, has agreed to pay a $385,000 penalty and address violations of Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements at its petroleum refining facility in Great Falls, Montana.

The settlement, filed as a Consent Agreement on December 12, 2023, resulted from a 2019 EPA inspection at the Calumet facility that revealed several violations related to the management of flammable mixtures and hydrofluoric acid. Deficiencies were associated with process safety information, hazard analysis, mechanical integrity and operating procedures. The company has been cooperative in correcting all identified deficiencies to reduce the possibility of an accidental release.

"Facilities must properly handle hazardous substances to prevent dangerous chemical accidents and follow reporting requirements when releases occur,” said Suzanne Bohan, director of EPA Region 8’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “If they don’t, EPA will hold them accountable. We are pleased that Calumet Montana Refining is implementing critical safety measures to protect workers and the community."

The case is part of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative to reduce risks from chemical accidents. It addresses compliance within the petroleum refining industry sector, which can pose serious risks from such accidents. Following recommendations made by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in April 2019, EPA is focused on ensuring compliance with the RMP at petroleum refining facilities that store and process hydrofluoric acid.

The Calumet facility is subject to Clean Air Act RMP regulations because it stores and processes large quantities of flammable mixtures and hydrofluoric acid, a highly toxic substance that may cause severe injury, burns or death when released into air. The RMP rule requires facilities holding more than 10,000 pounds of flammable mixture or 1,000 pounds of hydrofluoric acid to develop a RMP and submit that plan to EPA.

RMPs address the proper design and maintenance of equipment such as pipes and vessels, emergency preparedness and the ability to minimize releases that may occur. They provide valuable information to local fire, police and emergency response personnel to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies. Making these plans available to the public also fosters communication and awareness to improve accident prevention and emergency response practices at the local level.

For more information on the Clean Air Act and RMP rule requirements, please visit the EPA RMP rule webpage. The Consent Agreement and Final Order are available online.

 EPA Press Office:

EPA awards nearly $3M in grants to address environmental concerns in Yakima Valley

Hosts grants workshop to highlight additional funding opportunities

SEATTLE (Dec. 12): Yesterday, EPA announced two new grant awards to address health disparities in the Yakima Valley.

During a press conference in Granger, Washington, EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller announced a $1 million dollar grant to the Washington State Department of Health. Beginning next month, the three-year project will work to increase education and outreach around groundwater and air quality in the Yakima Valley by connecting community members to resources, information and tools.

Additionally, EPA announced a grant for $1,896,439 to the University of Washington to create a research center which aims to identify communities that are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards.

“Residents of the Lower Yakima Valley, especially lower-income residents and communities of color, are bearing the burdens of pollutants,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “We’re focused on addressing environmental justice concerns in Yakima Valley, which has helped guide our approach to sustained actions over time to improve health outcomes in this community.”

EPA also hosted a grant funding workshop for potential applicants in the region, providing the latest information on grant and technical assistance available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Additionally, state and other federal agencies were present to discuss their available funding and assistance.

“For too long Washington’s low-income communities and communities of color including in the Yakima valley have borne the disproportionate cost of pollution in the climate crisis. The problem compounds when these communities can't access state and federal programs in place to address the issue,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee in a pre-recorded video message to event attendees. “That's what today is about, connecting communities to resources so that we can build a clean energy future together.”

Learn more about the Environmental Justice Showcase Community in Yakima Valley.

EPA Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) - Serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and 271 Tribal Nations. Visit us online, follow us on X and Facebook, and subscribe to our RSS feed.   

Press Contact: EPA R10 Press Office (r10_Press_team@epa.gov)

Giant goldfish are wreaking havoc on freshwater lakes

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Grant to Recruit and Utica, New York Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Latest funding for EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants is supported by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and will boost workforce training in underserved and overburdened communities

NEW YORK (December 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties to receive a total of $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties.

This initiative aims to provide specialized environmental job training for 100 students, with an ambitious goal to place 90 graduates in relevant roles.

The comprehensive training program will include 189 hours of instruction, covering key areas such as 40-Hour HAZWOPER, OSHA Lead in Construction, OSHA Construction Industry Health and Safety Program, OSHA Confined Space, EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Repainting, and more. Successful completion of the program will result in students earning up to four state and two federal certifications.

Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida is specifically targeting students within the City of Utica, with a focus on underrepresented and historically marginalized populations, providing them with an opportunity to gain valuable skills and improve their employment prospects.

This initiative is supported by key partners including Oneida County Workforce Development, Mohawk Valley Community College, Rochester Specialty Contractors, Ambient Environmental, Indium Corporation, Central New York Labor Council, Oneida County Health Department, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority, Midtown Utica Community Center, Mohawk Valley Latino Center, NAACP, and Hope Chapel AME Zion Church.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”

“EPA is thrilled to award this grant to the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and its partners to help train and prepare the next wave of local workers for opportunities in the Brownfields sector,” said EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Through the cleanup and revitalization of brownfield sites, communities can put underutilized properties back to good use. Reclaiming these sites benefits the community and its residents, our economy, and our environment.”

“This is a win-win: investing in getting youth the hands-on skills they need to get good-paying jobs and helping clean up our communities from Utica to NYC,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “I am proud to help deliver this federal funding, which will help train hundreds of students in New York for environmental jobs, and I will never stop fighting to address environmental justice issues faced by New York’s underserved communities.” 

“Environmental research is critical to our future and the sustainability of our communities. I was proud to help secure this funding in Congress and commend the EPA for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York with this significant investment,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. “Investing today will provide vital training and job opportunities for 84 students in Harlem, empowering them to pursue careers in the environmental field, while helping to bolster their future as well as our planet."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “President Biden, EPA Administrator Regan, and EPA Region 2 Administrator Garcia recognize the importance of growing New York’s environmental workforce to protect public health and help revitalize communities. DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York and the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, and Oneida Counties to help create brighter futures for New Yorkers, particularly those from underserved communities, and we look forward to continuing to work with local, state, and federal partners to advance workforce development opportunities across the state.” 

These grants will provide funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.

High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities.  All of the FY24 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities. 

Under the Brownfields Job Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in: 

• Lead and asbestos abatement, 
• Hazardous waste operations and emergency response, 
• Mold remediation, 
• Environmental sampling and analysis, and  
• Other environmental health and safety training 

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past Grant recipients, please visit EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. Brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Job Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through Brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.  

For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Grant to Recruit and Train Harlem, New York Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Latest funding for EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Grants is supported by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and will boost workforce training in underserved and overburdened communities

NEW YORK (December 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Research Foundation of the City College of New York to receive a total of $500,000 for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Job Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across New York.

This initiative is set to provide specialized environmental job training for 84 students, with a goal to place at least 64 graduates in relevant roles.

The comprehensive training program will encompass 136 hours of instruction, covering key areas such as 40-Hour HAZWOPER, 30-Hour OSHA for Construction, 10-Hour Site Safety Training, ASTM Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, and Green Infrastructure I and II. Successful completion of the program will result in students earning up to two federal certifications.

The Research Foundation of the City College of New York is specifically targeting students within the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. This includes underemployed, unemployed, and potentially previously incarcerated residents, providing them with an opportunity to gain valuable skills and improve their employment prospects.

This initiative is supported by key partners including the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation, Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast, New York City Brownfield Partnership, New York State Department of Labor, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, New York City Administration for Children’s Services, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Living Redemption Community Development Corporation, Silicon Harlem, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Athenica Environmental Services, and Roux Associates Inc.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”

“EPA is thrilled to award this grant to CCNY and its partners to help train and prepare the next wave of local workers for opportunities in the Brownfields sector,” said EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Through the cleanup and revitalization of brownfield sites, communities can put underutilized properties back to good use. Reclaiming these sites benefits the community and its residents, our economy, and our environment.”

“This is a win-win: investing in getting youth the hands-on skills they need to get good-paying jobs and helping clean up our communities from Utica to NYC,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “I am proud to help deliver this federal funding, which will help train hundreds of students in New York for environmental jobs, and I will never stop fighting to address environmental justice issues faced by New York’s underserved communities.” 

“Environmental research is critical to our future and the sustainability of our communities. I was proud to help secure this funding in Congress and commend the EPA for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York with this significant investment,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. “Investing today will provide vital training and job opportunities for 84 students in Harlem, empowering them to pursue careers in the environmental field, while helping to bolster their future as well as our planet."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “President Biden, EPA Administrator Regan, and EPA Region 2 Administrator Garcia recognize the importance of growing New York’s environmental workforce to protect public health and help revitalize communities. DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for awarding the Research Foundation of the City College of New York and the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, and Oneida Counties to help create brighter futures for New Yorkers, particularly those from underserved communities, and we look forward to continuing to work with local, state, and federal partners to advance workforce development opportunities across the state.” 

These grants will provide funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.

High-quality job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities.  All of the FY24 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities. 

Under the Brownfields Job Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term and high-quality environmental careers. This includes certifications in: 

• Lead and asbestos abatement, 
• Hazardous waste operations and emergency response, 
• Mold remediation, 
• Environmental sampling and analysis, and  
• Other environmental health and safety training 

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past Grant recipients, please visit EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. Brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through Brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.  

For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1 Million to Recruit and Train Pennsylvania Workers for Community Revitalization and Cleanup Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Latest funding for EPA’s Brownfield Job Training Grants is supported by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and will boost workforce training in underserved and overburdened communities

Contact Information:
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of North Side Industrial Development Company and the Housing and Redevelopment Authorities of Cumberland County to receive a total of $1 Million for environmental job training programs as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The grants through EPA’s Brownfields Jobs Training Program will help recruit, train, and place workers for community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites across the Commonwealth.

• North Side Industrial Development Company (NSIDC) has been selected to receive $500,000 to train approximately 155 students from within the City of Pittsburgh and place at least 116 in environmental jobs upon completion of the program. The training program includes 108 hours of instruction including 40-hour HAZWOPER, OSHA, green infrastructure, asbestos, and fieldwork training.

• Housing and Redevelopment Authorities of Cumberland County has been selected to receive $500,000 to train at least 57 students from the Carlisle area and provide them with 203 hours of instruction and training. The curriculum will span OSHA, asbestos, confined space entry, site assessments, and field work.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is having a powerful, real-world impact on the ground, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has supercharged our Brownfields program, enabling EPA to invest in the next generation of environmental workers to take on the much-needed work of cleaning up legacy pollution in communities across America.”

“This grant funding is an investment in our future,” said EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “These are real dollars that will be used to benefit not only the job trainees themselves, but the environment as a whole.”

“I applaud the Biden Administration’s one-million-dollar investment in environmental job training programs in Pennsylvania,” said Senator John Fetterman. “These grants will go towards good-paying jobs that will mitigate the effects of pollution and strengthen the environment and economies of Pittsburgh and Carlisle. Our workers, our commonwealth, and our planet are always worthwhile investments.”

"I’m so proud to announce this $500,000 grant for the North Side Industrial Development Company to boost job training in our area! We're talking about real skills here and a path to federal certifications, opening doors to better opportunities for the folks in our area. We’re focusing on uplifting our own, especially those in lower-income, underserved areas like East Hills, Homewood, and the Hill District,” said U.S. Representative Summer Lee. “This is about building a stronger, more resilient community, where education and job opportunities are not just dreams, but realities for everyone no matter where you live or how you grew up.”

"This is great news! We are really looking forward to being a recipient of these EPA Workforce Training funds. These funds are so important to our partner organizations, the diverse businesses, and workers so that they can get the necessary training for the future job opportunities in the Pittsburgh region,” said Juan Garrett, Executive Director, North Side Industrial Development Company.

“The Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authorities are invested in helping our communities, clients and the whole of Cumberland County find ample employment in fields that offer competitive wages and growth opportunities.  We are very grateful to be a partner with the Employment Skills Center in Carlisle, PA.  They are a true asset and have driven this grant forward for our County. Thank you so much to the EPA and our federal representation for ensuring a bright future for careers within the environmental mitigation field!” – Mary Kuna, Executive Director, Housing and Redevelopment Authorities of Cumberland County

These grants will provide funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. Individuals completing a job training program funded by EPA often overcome a variety of barriers to employment and many are from historically underserved neighborhoods or reside in the areas that are affected by environmental justice issues.

Job training and workforce development are an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advance economic opportunities and address environmental justice issues in underserved communities.  All of the FY24 Brownfields Job Training Program applications selected have proposed to work in areas that include disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits of certain government investments to underserved and overburdened communities. 

Under the Brownfields Jobs Training Program, individuals typically graduate with a variety of certifications that improve their marketability and help ensure that employment opportunities are not just temporary contractual work, but long-term environmental careers. This includes certifications in: 

• Lead and asbestos abatement, 
• Hazardous waste operations and emergency response, 
• Mold remediation, 
• Environmental sampling and analysis, and 
• Other environmental health and safety training 

For more information on the selected Brownfields Job Training Grant recipients, including past Grant recipients, please visit EPA’s Grant Factsheet Tool.

Background

President Biden’s leadership and bipartisan congressional action have delivered the single-largest investment ever made in U.S. brownfields infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $1.5 billion through EPA’s highly successful Brownfields Program, which is helping more communities than ever before begin to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges caused by the legacy pollution at brownfield sites. Today’s funding for Brownfields Jobs Training grants comes from this historic investment, which is allowing more communities, states, and Tribes to access larger grants to build and enhance the environmental curriculum in job training programs to support job creation and community revitalization at brownfield sites. Ultimately, this investment will help trained individuals access jobs created through brownfields revitalization activities within their communities.

Since 1998, EPA has announced 414 grants totaling over $100.5 million through Brownfield Job Training Programs. With these grants, more than 21,500 individuals have completed training and over 16,370 individuals have been placed in careers related to land remediation and environmental health and safety. The average starting wage for these individuals is over $15 an hour.  

For more information on this, and other types of Brownfields Grants, please visit EPA’s Brownfields webpage.

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 EPA Press Office:

North Denver waste solvent facility among several in proposed national settlement resolving alleged hazardous waste violations

EPA, DOJ settlement with Heritage-Crystal Clean resolves Resource Conservation and Recovery Act claims, secures safe management of solvents

Contact: Richard Mylott, mylott.richard@epa.gov

DENVER (December 7, 2023) -- Today, EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC (HCC) to resolve pending claims of the United States on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and the State of Indiana for violations of requirements governing management of hazardous waste, as well as a violation of used oil management requirements, at current or former HCC facilities located in Indianapolis, Indiana; Shreveport, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia; Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania; and Denver, Colorado.   

Under the settlement, HCC commits to pay civil penalties totaling $1,162,500 and to implement various measures to ensure that HCC facilities will not treat, store or dispose of parts-washing solvents that qualify as hazardous waste unless and until HCC receives a hazardous waste permit authorizing it to manage hazardous waste.  Plaintiffs estimate that the compliance measures required under the settlement will cost at least $1,628,502.  

“This settlement reflects our commitment to protecting communities, including North Denver, from the potential risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals,” said Suzanne Bohan, director of EPA Region 8’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “HCC’s compliance actions will ensure the safe handling of solvents and reduce potential harm to people and the environment.” 

 “While federal law encourages responsible recycling of hazardous waste, recyclers must still comply with legal requirements designed to ensure the health and safety of our communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement reflects our commitment to ensuring that hazardous waste recycling operations are conducted in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and its regulations.” 

In January 2022, a twenty-one-count complaint was filed against HCC in federal district court in the Northern District of Illinois under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and applicable state law. The complaint states that in the course of providing parts washing services to customers throughout the United States, HCC accepted some used solvent that qualified as hazardous waste, but HCC did not transport and manage those solvents in accordance with applicable hazardous waste management requirements.   

Heritage-Crystal Clean, Denver facility 

The proposed settlement includes the resolution of alleged violations and remedies associated with the Denver Heritage Crystal Clean (HCC) facility at 5221 Monroe Street, located in the North Denver-Commerce City area, a historically overburdened neighborhood. HCC delivers solvent products to area customers from this facility which are used for parts washing. HCC’s Denver facility then brings used solvent from its customers back to the facility for transfer to other HCC facilities for reclamation. The primary solvent (142 Mineral Spirits) managed at the facility is an organic solvent with a claimed flash point of 142 degrees. An EPA inspection found that containers with used 142 Mineral Spirits on site exceeded the regulatory limit for tetrachloroethylene, making the solvent a characteristic hazardous waste subject to specific RCRA requirements.  

EPA has determined the Denver HCC facility is not handling hazardous spent 142 Mineral Spirits solvent according to RCRA requirements. Specifically, EPA found that HCC transported hazardous spent 142 Mineral Spirits solvent without documentation required by RCRA and stored the hazardous waste solvent at the Denver facility without first obtaining a permit. The settlement includes a sampling program to ensure hazardous wastes are properly identified and requires HCC to promptly remove any 142 solvent drums and consolidation containers with hazardous waste characteristics. The facility will manage such wastes in accordance with applicable hazardous waste requirements in the future.    

National Settlement Details 

The EPA/DOJ complaint states that HCC (1) transported hazardous waste without required hazardous waste manifests, (2) stored hazardous waste at various HCC facilities without required permits, (3) failed to make required hazardous waste determinations after mixing used solvents from different parts washing customers, (4) failed to comply with certain requirements for reducing air emissions from certain hazardous waste tanks and equipment, and (5) failed to maintain adequate secondary containment for certain hazardous waste tanks. The proposed settlement includes numerous other provisions specific to each facility, as well as provisions that require HCC to distribute educational materials to parts-washing customers in specified circumstances, and provisions for HCC to retain a third party to conduct audits at designated HCC facilities to ensure future compliance.  

The five HCC facilities included in this settlement are recognized by EPA to be located within communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Nearby communities will benefit from the improved controls and new work practices that will be implemented at HCC facilities as required by the consent decree. These new controls and practices will reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to neighboring communities and reduce risk of exposure by ensuring lower volumes of hazardous wastes are managed at these facilities.  

The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, is subject to a 30-day federal public comment period and approval by the federal court.  The consent decree can be viewed on the Department of Justice consent decrees website.

For more information about this settlement, please visit Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC RCRA Settlement Information Sheet.