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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $121,543 to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to improve compliance and monitoring activities by integrating computer technology into the workflow process. The project’s goals are to develop an electronic forms database using Microsoft Access and to equip inspectors with technologies such as geographic information systems and Web services. The integration will also allow field, lab, and legal personnel to save time during inspections, maintain monitoring information, and prevent data errors.

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has penalized Burton Oil Properties of Ratliff City, Oklahoma, $600 for violating federal Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act. A federal inspection of an oil production facility located at Highway 76 and Old Highway 76 in Fox, Carter County, Oklahoma, on December 16, 2008, found visual inspection of containers, foundation and supports were not conducted periodically for deterioration and maintenance needs, and above ground valves and pipelines were not examined periodically for general condition. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facility has provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $286,000 to the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority to implement a project for improving north-central Arkansas’s water supply. Implementation of the project will require Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority to design and construct a raw water intake structure, water treatment plant and a new water supply transmission line. The new water supply source will service residents in Newton, Searcy, Boone and Marion counties.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $286,000 to the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, to rehabilitate sanitary sewer manholes and sewer lines. Based on information gathered in the sanitary sewer evaluation study in southern Fayetteville, approximately 850 manholes and 175,000 liner feet of sewer line are subject for repair and rehabilitation. Methods used for project implementation involves open-cut replacement, cured-in-place piping, and pipe bursting methods.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $18,609,238 to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) to assist in administering Texas’s environmental quality programs. TCEQ’s environmental programs aim to prevent, reduce, and eliminate water, solid waste, air, and pesticide pollution through standard-setting, monitoring, permitting and enforcement activities.

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Rubicon LLC, a joint venture between Huntsman and Chemtura Corporation, located in Geismar, Louisiana, is being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for completion of their National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) goal and reducing the quantity of benzene and aniline incinerated at the facility by 1.2 million pounds. Rubicon joined the program in 2005 and committed to reduce waste benzene and aniline used in their polyurethane operations. NPEP is an EPA program that promotes the voluntary reduction of hazardous chemicals. Through work with EPA, both public and private organizations identify activities that will reduce the use of these chemicals, preventing their ability to be released into the environment and threaten public health. With over 220 partners across the country, the program continues to promote alternatives to hazardous chemical use, including recycling, substituting less hazardous alternatives, or reducing the quantities of these hazardous chemicals being used. “More and more top facilities are finding smart, simple ways to conduct business and care for the environment at the same time,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Larry Starfield. “It is even more inspiring when industry members not only stick with their commitments to the environment, but expand on them.” Rubicon implemented a waste minimization program in 1995, and since 1997 has been able to reduce the amount of aniline incinerated at the facility by 48%. The project for NPEP enrollment involved system upgrades that resulted in 720,000 pounds of aniline reductions and 500,000 pounds of benzene reductions. The facility has been active in Louisiana’s Environmental Leadership Program since 1998. The facility will be recognized during an achievement award presentation by representatives from EPA and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at the Geismar Community Center on Wednesday, February 11, 2009.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has issued administrative orders to three Arkansas Egg Co. facilities in Arkansas for violations of the Clean Water Act. The facilities, Blair Farm in Benton County, and Summers Farm and Appleton Farm, both in Washington County, were found to be out of compliance with their Clean Water Act discharge permits. In February 2008, EPA and Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) inspectors observed that all three facilities had used chicken litter in amounts exceeding those designated in their waste management plans. The facilities had also failed to operate their liquid animal waste collection and containment systems properly. Summers and Blair Farms were also cited for failure to dispose of dead animals appropriately and maintain their carcass incinerators. Additionally, the Appleton Farm had failed to maintain the required 35 feet setback distance from streams at waste application sites. Other violations noted included failure to maintain proper levels in waste collection systems, failure to maintain records indicating locations of fields where animal waste has been applied, and failure to properly dispose of liquid and solid animal wastes. Based on these findings, EPA has ordered Arkansas Egg Co. to immediately remove all animal carcasses, begin utilizing proper carcass incineration and liquid waste procedures, properly remove non-contained liquid manure, and initiate application of liquid and solid wastes to land application as required by their discharge permits and waste management plans. Arkansas Egg Co. has also been ordered to provide maps of all owned or leased liquid animal waste or solid waste application fields showing field locations, soil sample analyses for the last five years, cropping schemes, copies of calculations used for waste application, applications records, and liquid and solid manure sample analysis.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $1,036,113 to the New Mexico Environment Department to support and implement four wetland restoration and conservation projects. The first project, located in San Vicente, will survey, restore, and protect more than 30 acres of degraded wetlands. One objective of the second project is for further development of rapid assessment of wetlands in the State. The third project, located in Cebolla County, involves demonstrating innovative methods for restoring agricultural lands to natural wetland habitat. The final project involves implementing restoration and conservation measures by working with Curry County landowners to protect more than 150 acres and restore 60 acres of playa wetlands.

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), has ordered Global Environmental Methods to cease all operations at their waste oil and industrial process waste management and treatment facility in New Iberia, Louisiana.

The facility, located at 4918 South Lewis Street, is in violation of its discharge permit issued by the LDEQ.

“EPA will continue to vigorously enforce our nation’s environmental laws through a strong enforcement program,” said EPA Region 6 Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Division Director John Blevins. “When these facilities fail to follow the rules, immediate actions will be taken to ensure compliance with the law.”

“This is an example of how state and federal government working together can improve compliance, and therefore the quality of our environment, within the state of Louisiana,” said Peggy Hatch, DEQ Assistant Secretary of the Office of Environmental Compliance. “We hope that other facilities that are willfully disobeying the environmental regulations take notice. There are so many businesses that operate within the rules. Those who don’t should expect to face the stiffest enforcement action possible.”

On February 4, 2009, EPA and LDEQ representatives conducted an inspection at the facility during which numerous deficiencies and discrepancies were observed, all in violation of the requirements of their state issued permit.

These deficiencies and discrepancies included inadequate treatment of process wastewater and waste oil, and discharge volumes significantly greater than the total available treatment and storage capacity. Inspectors also noted the current treatment process varied significantly from the treatment process described in the discharge permit application submitted to LDEQ and were unable to determine the facility’s compliance status with the permit due to lack of documentation.

Inspectors also observed twenty-seven 55-gallon drums in poor condition and some were leaking. The contents of the drums were not consistent with drum labeling. Soil staining, indicating a release of petroleum waste, was observed in several areas throughout the facility and included a path that led directly to Commercial Channel which discharges to Vermilion Bay. The facility’s wastewater treatment system was leaking pollutants suspected to be hazardous waste.

Based on these findings, EPA, in coordination with LDEQ, has ordered Global Environmental Methods to cease all operations at the facility, including discharges of wastes or any process water and stop accepting any waste material for storage or treatment.

Global Environmental Methods has also been ordered to notify EPA and the state within 15 days of the details and efforts conducted to cease and desist all operations at the facility and within 30 days submit a report to EPA and LDEQ detailing all actions to comply with the order.

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Elk City, Oklahoma, City Manager Guy R. Hylton, Jr. and Elk City Supervisor Chick Arthur Little, convicted of violations of the federal Clean Air Act, will serve their sentences at the Federal Prison Camp in Big Spring, Texas.

The two were originally indicted by a federal grand jury on December 19, 2006, for using Elk City inmates to renovate the Rock Island Railroad Depot in Elk City without providing respiratory protection, protective clothing, or taking other required measures used for the removal of asbestos. Asbestos causes a wide range of illnesses, including various forms of cancer, including mesothelioma, and asbestosis, a usually fatal lung disease.

Following a trial, a jury in Oklahoma City found each man guilty of negligent endangerment by allowing the release of asbestos in a way that created a danger of death or serious bodily injury to the inmates who were working for the city as part of a work-release program. Little was additionally convicted of felony false statements related to lying to investigators conducting the criminal investigation which led to his indictment.

Last January, United States District Judge Joe Heaton ordered Hylton to serve six months in federal prison and pay a $15,000 fine. Judge Heaton ordered Little to serve eight months in federal prison, serve two years of supervised release upon release from prison and perform 104 hours of community service in lieu of a fine.

“EPA will continue to vigorously enforce our nation’s environmental laws through a strong enforcement program,” said EPA Special Agent in Charge Warren Amburn. “We must hold those accountable who endanger others and lie to federal officials to cover up their misconduct.”

Both men appealed their convictions to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and learned this week the court issued orders and judgments affirming their convictions and sentences. As a result of the failed appeal and his looming prison sentence, Guy Hylton resigned as Elk City’s Manager effective February 16, 2009.

Chick Arthur Little has been ordered to report to the Federal Prison Camp in Big Spring on Friday, February 20, 2009, and Guy Hylton has been ordered to report to the same facility on Friday, March 6, 2009.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $360,000 to the Texas Department of State Health Services to conduct statewide inspections of demolition and renovation projects in public buildings. Inspections for toxic air pollutants potentially present during demolitions or renovations are part of the State’s program for planning, monitoring, and enforcing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).