[StBernard] News Release (Region 6): EPA Orders Global Environmental Methods to Cease Operations

[Westley Annis]

EPA Orders Global Environmental Methods to Cease Operations 

(Dallas, Texas - February 6, 2009) The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality (LDEQ), has ordered Global Environmental Methods to cease all
operations at their waste oil and industrial process waste management and
treatment facility in New Iberia, Louisiana. 

The facility, located at 4918 South Lewis Street, is in violation of its
discharge permit issued by the LDEQ. 

"EPA will continue to vigorously enforce our nation's environmental laws
through a strong enforcement program," said EPA Region 6 Compliance
Assurance and Enforcement Division Director John Blevins.  "When these
facilities fail to follow the rules, immediate actions will be taken to
ensure compliance with the law." 

"This is an example of how state and federal government working together can
improve compliance, and therefore the quality of our environment, within the
state of Louisiana," said Peggy Hatch, DEQ Assistant Secretary of the Office
of Environmental Compliance.  "We hope that other facilities that are
willfully disobeying the environmental regulations take notice.  There are
so many businesses that operate within the rules.  Those who don't should
expect to face the stiffest enforcement action possible." 
   
On February 4, 2009, EPA and LDEQ representatives conducted an inspection at
the facility during which numerous deficiencies and discrepancies were
observed, all in violation of the requirements of their state issued permit.


These deficiencies and discrepancies included inadequate treatment of
process wastewater and waste oil, and discharge volumes significantly
greater than the total available treatment and storage capacity.  Inspectors
also noted the current treatment process varied significantly from the
treatment process described in the discharge permit application submitted to
LDEQ and were unable to determine the facility's compliance status with the
permit due to lack of documentation. 

Inspectors also observed twenty-seven 55-gallon drums in poor condition and
some were leaking.  The contents of the drums were not consistent with drum
labeling.  Soil staining, indicating a release of petroleum waste, was
observed in several areas throughout the facility and included a path that
led directly to Commercial Channel which discharges to Vermilion Bay.  The
facility's wastewater treatment system was leaking pollutants suspected to
be hazardous waste. 

Based on these findings, EPA, in coordination with LDEQ, has ordered Global
Environmental Methods to cease all operations at the facility, including
discharges of wastes or any process water and stop accepting any waste
material for storage or treatment. 


Global Environmental Methods has also been ordered to notify EPA and the
state within 15 days of the details and efforts conducted to cease and
desist all operations at the facility and within 30 days submit a report to
EPA and LDEQ detailing all actions to comply with the order. 

More about activities in EPA Region 6:  http://www.epa.gov/region6 

EPA audio file is available for 30 days at
http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio020509_gem 

###