EPA New England Press Releases

LEBANON CITED BY EPA FOR CHEMICAL SPILL

Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office; (617) 918-1064

For Immediate Release: July 11, 1996; Release # 96-7-7

BOSTON - The City of Lebanon, New Hampshire, will pay a $2,500 environmental penalty and offer seminars on preventing toxics spills to settle a case brought by the regional office of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The case arose out of a chemical spill to the Mascoma River from the city's drinking water treatment plant.

As part of the agreement, Lebanon officials will host two seminars at meetings of the New Hampshire and New England Water Works Associations. Using the city's spill as a case study, the seminars will address spill preventive and cleanup actions necessary when accidental spills occur.

According to EPA, the spill resulted when a used fiberglass underground storage tank was excavated and utilized for aboveground storage of aluminum sulfate. The tank was not designed for use aboveground. The tank ruptured along a seam, spilling the aluminum sulfate directly into the plant discharge canal and into the Mascoma River. The spill caused noticeable foaming in the river, turned the river a milky white at the discharge point.

This case was filed under an expanded authority provision of the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Act. Enacted following the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, the law is a comprehensive statute designed to expand oil and hazardous substances spill prevention activities, establish new federal authority to direct responses to spills, improve preparedness and response capabilities, and ensure that liable companies are held responsible for spills that occur.

 

 

METADATA

1. TITLE: Lebanon Cited By EPA For Chemical Spill

2. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A

3. ABSTRACT: The City of Lebanon, NH will pay a $2,500 environmental penalty and offer seminars on preventing toxics spills to settle a case brought by the regional office of the U.S. EPA. The case arose out of a chemical spill to the Mascoma River from the city's drinking water treatment plant.

4. PURPOSE: Public Information

5. ORIGINATOR: Regional Administrator's Office

6. PUBLICATION DATE: 08/02/96

7. ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: N/A

8. AVAILABILITY: N/A
   a. Distributor:
   b. Order Process:
   c. Technical Prerequisites:
   d. Automated Linkage:
   e. Downloadable Files:

9. COVERAGE: N/A

10. TIME PERIOD OF COVERAGE: N/A

11. POINT OF CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
    Alice Kaufman
    EPA Region 1, New England
    JFK Kennedy Building (RAA)
    Boston, MA 02203
    617-918-1064

12. RESPONSIBLE PARTY:
    Doug Gutro
    Office of the Regional Administrator

13. DATE OF CREATION: 08/02/96

14. AGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: N/A

15. EXPIRATION DATE: 10/29/96