Air Enforcement Accomplishments, Fiscal Year 2004

Enforcements Accomplishments 2004 Quick Finder
Enforcement Accomplishments 2004 Home Air	Criminal investigation Land Pesticides	Supplemental Actions Tribal Water

EPA’s air enforcement team worked with the states of California, Nevada and Arizona to bring businesses into compliance with environmental regulations through enforcement and technical assistance in the past year. In 2004, progress toward cleaner air in the Pacific Southwest Region continued with a reduction of over one million pounds of pollution.

EPA, Arizona mining company reach $1.4 million settlement for air pollution violations–EPA addresses citizen complaints

Phelps Dodge Sierrita, Inc. paid $1.4 million in penalties to settle alleged Clean Air Act violations at its Green Valley, Ariz., copper mine and ore processing plant. The company also agreed to immediately comply with air pollution limits, which will achieve emission reductions of 150 tons per year of sulfur dioxide and 10 tons per year of particulate matter (dust or soot). EPA became aware of the air pollution problems at the mine when numerous citizens complained about adverse health effects that they believed were the result of the mine’s operations. The settlement includes enhanced monitoring and reporting requirements so both the public and EPA will know whether the facility is complying with the sulfur dioxide limit each and every hour, rather than once a year. The state of Arizona joined the settlement and will receive 10% of the penalties for its own claims against the company.

EPA settles clean air case with container company in California’s San Joaquin Valley

Silgan Containers Corp. agreed to reduce emissions at six of its San Joaquin Valley plants by as much as 118 tons per year at an estimated cost to the company of more than $1.5 million. The reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is significant because the San Joaquin Valley ranks second to the Los Angeles Area as the smoggiest area in the country. The container manufacturer has installed pollution controls and paid a fine of $659,000 for alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act. Silgan disclosed its own findings to the EPA as part of a self-audit to evaluate compliance with clean air requirements for its 38 U.S. facilities. Silgan’s audit and self-disclosure was the first of its kind and because of its comprehensive nature, took about four years to complete.

Nevada company agrees to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions, pay EPA $525,000 to resolve Clean Air Act violations

The J.R. Simplot Co. agreed to pay EPA $525,000 and install air pollution control equipment worth $2 million to resolve violations of the federal Clean Air Act at its silica sand mining facility in Overton, Nev. The facility dries silica sand in a coal-fired dryer, which generates sulfur dioxide emissions. Without the required pollution control equipment, the facility could emit an additional 150 tons of sulfur dioxide per year. These emissions can cause serious health problems, including respiratory illnesses and can also cause acid rain. Acid rain damages aquatic life and vegetation, and also decreases visibility, which is a problem at many national parks, including the Grand Canyon.

EPA, Las Vegas wood furniture manufacturing company settlement to reduce harmful air emissions

EPA required Capital Cabinet Corp, a wood furniture manufacturer in Las Vegas, to spend $241,000 on technology to reduce emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 50 tons per year. This settlement benefits the fast-growing Las Vegas area since ozone (smog) levels there exceed the eight-hour ozone standard, a violation of the Clean Air Act.

EPA cites construction company for fugitive dust violations

Fugitive dust at construction sites is also a problem in the area. As part of the county’s efforts to crack down on fugitive dust violators, EPA pursued enforcement actions against Western States, a trenching contractor which violated the county’s fugitive dust rules 11 times over the years. The company settled the violations with EPA and agreed to reduce fugitive dust emissions at all of its construction sites and train all of its employees to reduce the amount of dust during construction. Western also agreed to pay a $40,000 penalty.

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