3 Maine firms hit with environmental penalties
State and federal environmental regulators have issued fines towards three outstanding Maine firms, settling separate circumstances involving probably damaging chemical compounds used of their manufacturing operations.
A state penalty of $101,400 was authorized towards ND Paper in Outdated City by way of an administrative consent settlement with the Division of Environmental Safety. Individually, the U.S. Environmental Safety Company issued $373,490 in penalties towards Jasper Wyman & Son and Barber Meals for chemical security violations.
Within the ND Paper case, state environmental regulators reported that 30,720 gallons of a sodium hydroxide combine was poured by way of a drain in September and October 2020 due to an open valve.
The liquid flowed out of the ability to the riverbank of the Penobscot River, the place it was in the end discharged, the regulators wrote in an August memo.
Following discovery of the spill on Oct. 7, 2020, the Maine Division of Environmental Safety reported a number of lifeless fish within the space of the discharge and elevated pH ranges in a close-by embayment of the Penobscot River.
This space of the river “continues to be impacted as a result of ongoing excessive pH contaminated groundwater discharges,” in response to the August memo.
Environmental safety workers members reported that the ground drain system related to the autumn 2020 spill has been repaired, although Pam Parker with division’s Water High quality Bureau mentioned in a Thursday assembly of the Maine Board of Environmental Safety that fast in depth repairs had been troublesome as a result of facility’s age.
“[T]his is an previous industrial constructing with an amazing quantity of legacy piping, but in addition actively used methods,” Parker mentioned. “So it was arduous to have the ability to wholesale restore the ability.”
A separate, smaller spill occurred on the similar constructing in June 2022, when 1,076 gallons of a sodium hydroxide resolution had been launched over a 30-day interval.
Parker mentioned that ND Paper has added distant and bodily monitoring methods to additional guarantee “it will by no means occur once more.”
ND Paper can also be tasked with investigating the remaining high-pH materials under the constructing and figuring out learn how to remediate the realm.
The consent settlement was introduced in June and authorized Thursday by the board, a seven-member citizen physique appointed by the governor.
The cash will go towards a venture by the town of Outdated City to switch and improve a culvert on School Avenue.
Jay Capron, a spokesperson for ND Paper, wrote in a Friday e mail that the corporate agreed to pay the penalty and has no plans to attraction.
The Outdated City mill has since taken prolonged downtime that started in March, in response to Capron, as a result of market situations. He mentioned Friday that these situations haven’t modified for the reason that unique announcement was made and the mill has not reopened.
In a separate motion by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company, Jasper Wyman & Son, the Milbridge-based blueberry firm, has agreed to pay $73,490 and supply chemical emergency coaching to the Cherryfield Fireplace Division to settle allegations it violated the federal Clear Air Act.
The company introduced the Wyman settlement and one other settlement with Barber Meals LLC, a poultry firm in Portland, on Thursday. The EPA famous that each firms use anhydrous ammonia, extremely corrosive to the pores and skin, eyes and lungs, as a refrigerant.
“It’s crucial that firms adjust to Clear Air Act necessities with the intention to defend facility staff and surrounding communities,” David W. Money, the EPA New England regional administrator, mentioned in saying the fines.
“Significantly in rural areas, if a chemical accident happens, it may well take time for skilled HazMat responders to reach. We’re happy to say that on account of the Jasper Wyman & Son [settlement] … the Cherryfield Fireplace Division can be higher ready to answer chemical emergencies.”
The $73,490 penalty resolved “alleged violations of the Clear Air Act’s chemical accident prevention necessities at its facility,” the EPA mentioned. The company estimated that coaching for the Cherryfield Fireplace Division on learn how to deal with ammonia releases, plus a donation of apparatus, was valued at roughly $65,000.
In a press release issued Friday, Jasper Wyman & Son mentioned the corporate “respects the EPA’s obligation to make sure compliance” and famous that the company’s response was as a result of firm’s accident prevention necessities, not a particular accident or launch.
“At the moment we’re in full compliance with the most recent accident prevention necessities,” the assertion mentioned, “and we now have taken extra steps to make sure our staff and native first responders are as ready as attainable within the occasion of an emergency.”
EPA mentioned that Barber Meals agreed to pay a mixed penalty of $300,000 for alleged violations at its Milliken Avenue plant and at its St. John’s Avenue facility. Barber Meals is a part of Tyson Meals.
The company mentioned inspections of the Wyman facility and two owned by Barber recognized the violations. “The three circumstances allege failures to establish, analyze and management sure hazards, failure to doc compliance with sure good engineering practices, and tools upkeep violations,” the EPA mentioned.
This story was initially printed by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit and nonpartisan information group. To get common protection from the Monitor, join a free Monitor publication right here.
