[StBernard] Ten Louisiana Companies Fined for Violating the Clean Water Act

[Westley Annis]

Ten Louisiana Companies Fined for Violating the Clean Water Act 

  

(Dallas, Texas - August 13, 2009)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has fined ten Louisiana companies for violating federal Spill Prevention,
Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the federal
Clean Water Act. 

  

Federal inspections of the bulk oil storage facilities in May 2009 revealed
a variety of violations though the violations differed at each facility:  As
an example:  SPCC plans were not certified by a professional engineer, plans
had inadequate or no description of the physical layout of the facility, and
plans had inadequate or no information or procedures for reporting oil
spills.  Inspections and tests required by federal regulations were not in
accordance with written procedures developed for the facilities, and
personnel working at the sites had no training on the operation of equipment
to prevent discharges, no training on discharge procedure protocols and
spill prevention briefings were not scheduled and conducted periodically.
The inspections also revealed that vehicle traffic was not warned of
aboveground piping and oil transfer operations, containment bypass valves
were not closed when not draining rainwater, and secondary containment was
inadequate for mobile or portable storage tanks.  

  

The companies inspected and fined were: 

  

Griffin Crane & Steel Service, 38142 Highway Department Road, Pearl River
LA, $1,750 

Wilco Marsh Buggies & Draglines, Inc., 1304 MacArthur Avenue, Harvey LA,
$1,500 

Kajun Truck Plaza, 640 AO Rapellett Road, Golden Meadow LA, $1,500 

Kajun Sportsman, 27900 Highway 1, Golden Meadow LA, $1,450 

Chef Harbor, 21135 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans LA, $1,000 

American Vacuum, 1232 Siracusa Road, Morgan City LA, $900 

Parish Concrete, LLC, 68660 Highway 59, Mandeville LA, $900 

C&M Bayou Fuel Dock, 4932 Kenal Road, Lafitte LA, $850 

Ocean Marine Contractors, 9084 Highway 182 East, Morgan City LA, $800 

Professional Construction Services, Inc., 5716 Hayne Boulevard, New Orleans
LA, $700 

  

As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the companies have
provided certification that all deficiencies have been corrected. 

  

Additional information on SPCC regulations is available at
http://www.epa.gov/oilspill <http://www.epa.gov/oilspill>  

  

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

  

EPA audio file is available at
http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/aug2009.html
<http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/aug2009.html>