EPA National News: EPA Press Advisory: (1) The Nation’s Wetlands Celebrated Coast to Coast; (2) EPA Refines Mobile Source Emissions Estimated Model; (3) Two Wisconsin Men Convicted in Illegal Asbestos Removal Case; (4) Ohio Company and Officials Sentenced for Illegal Sewer Discharge; (5) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Industrial Wastewater Case; (6) Minnesota Auto Shop Owner Charged in Discharge Case; (7) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Sewer Line Case
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EPA Press Advisory: (1) The Nation’s Wetlands Celebrated Coast to Coast; (2) EPA Refines Mobile Source Emissions Estimated Model; (3) Two Wisconsin Men Convicted in Illegal Asbestos Removal Case; (4) Ohio Company and Officials Sentenced for Illegal Sewer Discharge; (5) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Industrial Wastewater Case; (6) Minnesota Auto Shop Owner Charged in Discharge Case; (7) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Sewer Line Case

Press Advisory - EPA's latest developments

Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need
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News for release: (Washington, D.C. -- May 19, 2004)

(1) The Nation’s Wetlands Celebrated Coast to Coast


Cathy Milbourn, 202-564-7824 / milbourn.cathy@epa.gov


During the month of May, the nation will celebrate American Wetlands Month, focusing on the economic benefits that wetlands provide. On May 20, the Environmental Law Institute, the EPA, and other federal agencies will honor winners of the annual National Wetland Awards in Washington, D.C. for their outstanding contributions to wetland conservation, research or educational projects. Also known as marshes, swamps and bogs, wetlands are important for flood control, acting as buffers to absorb and reduce damage caused by flood waters. Wetlands also help to remove pollutants from water, cleaning streams and lakes, thereby reducing the cost of drinking water treatment. Wetlands are important to the multi-billion dollar commercial fishing industry and provide a boost to recreation industry activities such as fishing, birding, canoeing and hunting. While more than half of the nation's original wetlands have been lost or converted to other uses in the lower 48 states, EPA’s goal is to help increase the quantity and quality of wetlands nationwide. Information on wetlands is available at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/ . To learn more about activities for American Wetlands Month, go to: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands and http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events/http://www.iwla.org/sos/aww/event .

(2) EPA Refines Mobile Source Emissions Estimate Model

John Millett, 202-564-7842 / millett.john@epa.gov


EPA is announcing the availability and official approval of MOBILE6.2 for use in state implementation plans (SIPS) and transportation conformity analyses. EPA is also announcing the availability and official approval of new methods for estimating emission factors for "re-entrained road dust" which is particulate matter that is kicked up by cars going over the road and from wind generated by the car's movement. It is listed in the December 2003 revision of EPA's Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors commonly referred to as AP-42 re-entrained road dust. MOBILE6.2 is EPA’s emission factor model for calculating emissions from highway mobile sources of air pollution. This update in the MOBILE6 series adds the capability to estimate particulate matter (PM) and toxic emissions from cars and trucks. MOBILE6.2 is the first model to integrate the estimation of particulate and toxic emissions into the MOBILE series and it gives users a single, consistent way to model all the major highway vehicle pollutants. MOBILE6.2 uses the most up-to-date science, information, and tools available today to determine the levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and air toxics emitted by highway vehicles. The release of the model is part of EPA’s ongoing effort to continuously improve mobile source modeling. Because MOBILE6.2 incorporates the latest EPA standards for particulate emissions from motor vehicles, it will allow states to properly take credit for substantial additional reductions as they develop plans for attaining PM10 and PM2.5 air quality standards. Today’s Federal Register notice establishes a two-year period before MOBILE6.2 and the December 2003 AP-42 methods are required to be used in transportation conformity analyses for PM10. This period gives states the time they need to determine the impact of MOBILE6.2 and the December 2003 AP-42 methods on transportation conformity determinations. Additional information, including an EPA guidance document on SIP and conformity policy regarding MOBILE6.2 and AP-42 is available at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/m6.htm .

Weekly Enforcement Wrap Up

Suzanne Ackerman, 202-564-7819 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov

(3) Two Wisconsin Men Convicted in Illegal Asbestos Removal Case


Michael L. Smith and Lawrence J. Williams, partners in Smith Renovations of Janesville, Wis., were each convicted on May 5 of violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) by improper removal of asbestos. The jury found Smith guilty of five counts and Williams guilty on one count. In Apr. 2002, Smith Renovations contracted with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mt. Horeb, Wis., to remove asbestos-containing ceiling and flooring material. The defendants hired a licensed asbestos removal firm to remove the flooring, but in July they removed the asbestos-containing ceiling material themselves without following federally-mandated workplace practices. Improperly removing asbestos can cause workers and others entering the work area to inhale airborne asbestos fibers, which is a known cause of lung cancer, the lung disease “asbestosis,” and mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. Each count of violating the CAA carries a maximum prison sentence of up to five years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Madison, Wisc.

(4) Ohio Company and Officials Sentenced for Illegal Sewer Discharge


Rees Plating Corporation of Stark County, Ohio; John H. Whitacre, Rees Plating’s President; and William T. Holland and Thomas R. Whitacre, both Vice-Presidents of Rees Plating, were all sentenced on May 11 for violating the Clean Water Act by discharging hazardous levels of chemicals into public sewers. John Whitacre and William Holland will serve five months in prison, five months home confinement and 19 months of supervised release. Thomas Whitacre will serve six months of home confinement followed by 18 months of probation. In addition, John Whitacre and Rees Plating were each fined $5,000. Thomas Whitacre will perform 200 hours of community service and Rees Plating was ordered to print a public apology in the Canton Repository newspaper. The defendants were previously convicted of discharging unpermitted levels of zinc and chromium into the Massillon, Ohio public sewer system, which can damage sewage treatment equipment and can prevent the proper treatment of sewage. The case was investigated by the Cleveland Area Office of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Northeast Ohio Environmental Task Force including the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland.

(5) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Industrial Wastewater Case


On May 11, Prime Plating, a metal finishing business in Maple Grove, Minn.; Scott Hanson, its owner; and two other individuals, Sam Opare-Addo and Arlynn Hanson, were each charged with conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act (CWA) and multiple counts of violating the CWA. The Prime Plating business, Scott Hanson and Opare-Addo were also charged with conspiracy to make a false statement and Opare-Addo was charged with three counts of making a false statement. In June and July of 2003, the defendants allegedly conspired to discharge industrial wastewater from the facility without having a functioning pre-treatment system for its waste, as required by law. During this period, the defendants allegedly discharged untreated wastewater directly into sewers using pumps and garden hoses, and allegedly conspired to hide the illegal discharges from state and federal regulators. Discharging plating wastes into sewers can prevent the proper treatment of sewage at treatment facilities. The case was investigated by the Chicago Area Office of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Hennepin County Department of Environmental Services with the assistance of EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.

(6) Minnesota Auto Shop Owner Charged in Discharge Case


Robert Steinmetz of Prior Lake, Minn. was charged on May 11 with violating the Clean Water Act. Steinmetz is the former owner of Riverwood Auto, an auto repair firm, and Diamondback Bedliner, a manufacturer of automotive bedliner coatings, both located in Bloomington, Minn. The indictment charges that in Nov. 2003, Steinmetz knowingly discharged wastewater containing petroleum-based chemicals into a storm sewer that feeds into the Minnesota River. Steinmetz also allegedly made a false statement, saying that he only dumped two drums of water. The case was investigated by the Chicago Area Office of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Hennepin County Department of Environmental Services. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.

(7) Minnesota Company and Individuals Indicted in Sewer Line Case


Hardcoat, Inc., of St. Louis Park, Minn.; its owner, Kenneth Heroux, and George Miklasevics, an environmental consultant; were each indicted on May 11 on charges that they conspired to make false statements regarding a severely corroded sewer line. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to falsely tell state and federal investigators that no problems were discovered during a permit renewal inspection of a sewer pipe used to discharge pre-treated industrial wastes. In reality, the pipe had several breaks through which pre-treated industrial wastes could have leaked. The defendants replaced the pipe, but hid the fact that the pipe had been compromised. The case was investigated by the Chicago Area Office of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Hennepin County Department of Environmental Services. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.


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Release date:05/19/2004 Receive our News Releases Automatically by Email

 

 
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