A Muskegon-area chemical company is facing a federal penalty for failing to report an ammonia release on Labor Day to the proper authorities in a timely manner. The 1400-pound leak was well over the federal limit that requires an immediate report. By law, any release into the air of the hazardous gas over 100 pounds must be reported to federal, state and local government agencies right away. The failure by the company to immediately file a report was the result of “a new person handling environmental and safety being on the job for only a week”, said the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. “He didn’t know the company was supposed to notify all the government agencies right away. He made the calls the next day, according to a report the company made to the DEQ.”