Settlements Reached in Eight Enforcement Cases for Hazardous Chemical Risk Management Plan Violations

Over the past several months, EPA has brought enforcement actions against eight New England facilities located in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire for failure to complete five-year updates to their Risk Management Plans (RMPs), as required by federal regulations under the Clean Air Act.

Under the regulations, any facility containing more than a threshold amount of certain hazardous chemicals is required to fully update and resubmit an RMP to EPA a minimum of every five years. RMPs include an assessment of the hazards associated with using the hazardous chemical, an accident prevention program, and a plan for emergency response in the event of an accidental release.

Under this effort, EPA took legal action against the following facilities throughout New England:

- A.T. Wall Company, Inc. (Warwick, R.I.)
- Danbury Water Pollution Control Plant (Danbury, Conn.)
- Gold Medal Bagel Bakery, Inc. (West Haven, Conn.)
- Mace Adhesives and Coatings Co., Inc. (Dudley, Mass.)
- Northampton MA Wastewater Treatment Plant (Northampton, Mass.)
- Shield Packaging Co., Inc. (Dudley, Mass.)
- Stonyfield Farm, Inc. (Londonderry, N.H.)
- Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant (Webster, Mass.)

The bulk chemicals used and stored at these facilities included anhydrous ammonia, toluene, isobutene and chlorine. As a result of these cases, the facilities have agreed to correct the violations and pay penalties ranging from $300 to $3,650.

“In this era of heightened security concerns, it is imperative that facilities managing and using hazardous materials do so with vigilant attention to all legal and safety requirements,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “This is not just a paperwork exercise. By following Risk Management Plan requirements, facilities help prevent chemical accidents and save lives.”

A number of large and small chemical releases by local companies have led EPA’s New England office to intensify efforts to make sure facilities storing large amounts of chemicals follow procedures for reporting the presence of chemicals and follow steps to prevent chemical accidents. These practices are required by several federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act.