Compliance and Enforcement Annual Results 2011 Fiscal Year
2011 Region 6 Compliance and Enforcement Annual Results
EPA Region 6 serves Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
Overview
Using a full range of compliance and enforcement strategies and tools, EPA Region 6 brought to conclusion over 600 enforcement actions against environmental violators in the five state region (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) for fiscal year 2011. From these actions, more than 3.1 billion pounds of hazardous wastes will be treated, minimized or properly disposed of; 137.5 million pounds of air and water pollutants will be reduced; and 3.6 million cubic yards of contaminated soil and water will be cleaned up. These reductions will be achieved as respondents invest close to $311.7 million in pollution controls and cleanup. Supplemental Environmental Projects will be implemented that will benefit surrounding communities at a cost of nearly $2 million, and penalties were assessed in the amount of $29.1 million, with an additional $5.2 million going to our State partners through collaborative enforcement actions.
Federal Case Highlights
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Mahard Egg Farm, Inc., a Texas corporation, will pay a $1.9 million penalty to resolve claims that the company violated the Clean Water Act (CWA) at its egg production facilities in Texas and Oklahoma. The civil penalty is the largest amount to be paid in a federal enforcement action involving a concentrated animal feeding operation. The company will also spend approximately $3.5 million on remedial measures to ensure compliance with the law and protect the environment and people’s health.
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Air Products LLC agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million in civil penalties to resolve hazardous waste mismanagement violations at its Pasadena, Texas chemical manufacturing facility. Before the settlement was concluded, Air Products instituted modifications that will reduce the levels of contamination in the spent acid, and the construction of a $60 million regeneration plant that will stop the acid waste stream altogether.
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Murphy Oil USA, of Meraux, Louisiana, for Clean Air Action violations at Murphy’s petroleum refineries located in Meraux, Louisiana, and Superior, Wisconsin, shall pay combined Federal and State civil penalties of $1.25 million, and perform complying actions to reduce emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide.
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BP Products North America Inc. agreed to pay a $15 million penalty, both the largest ever assessed for civil violations of the Clean Air Act’s chemical accident prevention regulations and the largest civil penalty recovered for Clean Air Act violations at an individual facility. The settlement addresses violations stemming from two fires that occurred at the refinery, and a leak. During the three incidents, each of which resulted in the surrounding Texas City community to shelter-in-place, thousands of pounds of flammable and toxic air pollutants were released.
Explosion at BP Amoco
Accomplishments at a Glance:
| Civil Cases | ||
|---|---|---|
| Estimated pollution reduced, treated or Eliminated (Pounds)1 | 137,523,185 | |
| Estimated hazardous waste treated, minimized, or properly disposed of (Pounds) 1 | 3,102,500,000 | |
| Estimated contaminated soil and water to be cleaned up (Cubic Yard) | 3,630,912 | |
| Enforcement Activities | ||
| Case initiations | 640 | |
| Case conclusions | 617 | |
Sources for Data displayed in this document: Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Information System (CERCLIS).
Footnotes:
- Projected reductions to be achieved during the one year period after all actions have been completed. (return to text)