PSM and RMP Citations/Analysis

I usually do not post the smaller settlement agreements, but this one caught my eye.  The inspection was done in 2015 and this was settled this year; the agreement is dated April 28, 2017.  This case caught my eye because it was the same plant that had the NH3 Explosion (at least according to the…...

Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) is a regulated substance listed as a toxic substance. The refinery uses 250,000 lbs of HF at its facility as part of the processes, and if released, could affect 220,000 people within a fifteen (15) mile radius of the facility, according to the Risk Management Program submittals. The refinery uses a water cannon…...

Respondent is a municipality operating a wastewater treatment plant and has submitted and registered an RMPlan to the EPA for its stationary source and has developed an RMProgram accidental release prevention program for the stationary source. At its stationary source at the time of the inspection, the Respondent had on-site for use, 4,000 pounds of…...

Violation Summary   Serious Willful Repeat Other Unclass Total Initial Violations 10         10 Current Violations 10         10 Initial Penalty $107,918         $107,918 Current Penalty $91,724         $91,724   Violation Items # ID Type Standard Curr$ Init$ LastEvent 1. 01001 Serious 19100022…...

Respondent owns and operates a facility that produces, processes, handles, and/or stores a regulated extremely hazardous substance, anhydrous ammonia. The facility uses anhydrous ammonia in a closed-circuit refrigeration system to produce and store ice. Though the ice maker process runs continually, employees are not normally present at the facility outside of business hours.  On March…...

Respondent owns and operates a soft drink manufacturing facility where it manufactures soft drinks and fills various can sizes and bottles for consumption. As a part of its manufacturing operations, the Facility utilizes a refrigeration cooling system, Ammonia is the refrigerant in the cooling system. The cooling system is used to lower the temperature at which…...

Respondent is a municipality operating two “stationary sources”, the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the Waste-Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). At the time of the inspection, respondent had submitted and registered RMPlans for each of its stationary sources at the WTP and the WWTP and had developed an RMProgram accidental release prevention program for each of…...

Respondent was engaged in the pork processing business and operated a closed-loop refrigeration system at the Facility which utilized anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant. Respondent also owned and operated an anhydrous ammonia storage tank at the Facility. Respondent used and stored up to 153,000 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia in the Facility’s refrigeration system and stored…...

The Respondent’s facility consists of a large distribution warehouse, including a cold storage area, over 100 truck loading bays, 80 trucks, a truck maintenance garage, a diesel fueling depot, an administrative office, and an employee cafeteria and locker rooms. There is an approximately 1,500 square foot ammonia refrigeration machinery room (the “Machinery Room”) located at the…...

Respondent owns a combined-cycle cogeneration power plant facility. From approximately 1991 to December 2013, the Facility was operated as a combined-cycle cogeneration power plant. Beginning in April 2012, the Facility halted full-time operations and began operating one or two days per year in order to conduct ISO-New England capability tests; however, the ammonia refrigeration system…...

On September 1, 2016, EPA conducted a compliance inspection of the Respondent’s facility to determine compliance with the Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions (CAPP) regulations promulgated at 40 C.F.R. Part 68 under Section 112(r) of the CAA. The EPA found that the Respondent had violated regulations implementing Section 112(r) of the CAA by failing to comply…...

Information collected during the September 14, 2016 inspection of Respondent’s Facility revealed that Respondent failed to develop and implement a risk management program that complied with the requirements of 40 C.F.R. Part 68. EPA alleges that Respondent has violated the CAA and federal regulations promulgated pursuant to the CAA as follows: Count 1 Respondent failed…...