WASHINGTON - The E.P.A. (EPA) today released its yearly enforcement and compliance results highlighted by large cases that reduce pollution, level the playing field for responsible companies, and protect public health in communities across the country. In fiscal year 2015, E.P.A. secured record-setting hazardous waste, Clean Air Act, and Superfund settlements, and acted swiftly to win a large criminal plea arrangement following a major coal ash spill, among other accomplishments. Additionally, E.P.A. made significant progress on cases that will benefit communities well into the future, by pursuing a final settlement that puts billions of dollars to work restoring the Gulf and helping communities affected by the BP oil spill, and by launching an investigation against Volkswagen for illegally emitting air pollution from diesel vehicles.
"The large cases we tackled in 2015 will drive compliance across industries, and protect public health in communities for years to come," said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "These cases are putting cutting edge tools to work, and using innovative approaches to reduce pollution. Through another strong year in enforcement, we are implementing America's environmental laws and delivering on EPA's mission."
In fiscal year 2015, E.P.A. enforcement actions required companies to invest in excess of $7 billion in actions and equipment to control pollution and clean up contaminated sites. EPA's cases resulted in $404 million in combined federal administrative, civil judicial penalties, and criminal fines. Other results include:
• Reductions of an estimated 430 million pounds of air pollutants.
• Almost $2 billion in commitments from responsible parties to clean up Superfund sites.
• In excess of $39 million invested in environmental plans that provide direct benefits to communities harmed by pollution.
E.P.A. pursues high impact cases that drive compliance across industries:
•
Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, one of the world's biggest fertilizer manufacturers, committed to ensuring the proper treatment, storage, and disposal of an estimated 60 billion pounds of hazardous waste at 8 facilities across Florida and Louisiana, the biggest amount of hazardous waste ever covered by a federal or state Resource Conservation and Recovery Act settlement.
• A Clean Air Act settlement with
Hyundai-Kia netted a record $100 million penalty, forfeiture of emissions credits, and In excess of $50 million invested in compliance measures to help level the playing field for responsible companies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions fueling climate change.
•
Noble Energy, Inc., a leading oil and gas producer, will use advanced monitoring technologies to detect air pollution problems in real-time, and ensure proper operation and maintenance of pollution control equipment at its facilities in Colorado.
E.P.A. holds criminal violators accountable that threaten the health and safety of Americans, while directing funds to affected communities:
• EPA's criminal plan secured $4 billion in court-ordered environmental projects, generated $200 million in fines and restitution, and sentenced defendants to a combined 129 years of incarceration.
• 3 subsidiaries of
Duke Energy Corporation, the biggest energy utility in the United States, agreed to pay a $68 million criminal fine and spend $34 million on environmental plans and land conservation to benefit rivers and wetlands in North Carolina and Virginia. As part of the plea, 2 Duke subsidiaries will ensure they can meet legal obligations to remediate coal ash impoundments within North Carolina, which will cost an estimated $3.4 billion.
E.P.A. enforcement work reduces pollution in the sectors that impact American communities the most:
• Settlements with
Interstate Power and Light,
Duke Energy Corporation and power companies in Arizona and New Mexico are cutting coal fired power plant emissions, requiring companies to control pollution, and conduct innovative plans that promote renewable energy development and energy efficiency practices.
• E.P.A. is working closely with local governments and utilities in places like
Fort Smith, Ark.,
Delaware County, Pa., and across
Puerto Rico, to cut discharges of raw sewage and contaminated stormwater through integrated planning, green infrastructure and other innovative approaches.
•
Cal-Maine Foods, one of the nation's biggest egg producers, is implementing a series of measures to comply with laws that control pollutants, including nutrients and bacteria, from being discharged into waterways.
•
XTO Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of ExxonMobil and the nation's biggest holder of natural gas reserves, will restore 8 sites in West Virginia damaged when streams and wetlands were filled to build roads, and implement a project to comply with water protection laws.
• Through settlements with 3 Nevada
gold mining operations, Newmont, Barrick and Veris, E.P.A. ensured that over 180 million pounds of mercury containing RCRA hazardous waste were treated, minimized, or properly disposed.
• The biggest bankruptcy-related cleanup settlement in American history, with
Anadarko and Kerr McGee, will put In excess of $4.4 billion into toxic pollution cleanup, improving water quality and removing dangerous materials in tribal and overburdened communities.
• E.P.A. ensures federal agencies take responsibility and clean up toxic pollution. The Army addressed over 19 million cubic yards of contaminated groundwater at the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama, and the U.S. Navy and Defense Logistics Agency are required to implement at least $90 million in upgrades and enhancements to prevent potential leaks at the
Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility in Hawaii.
More information about EPA's Fiscal Year 2015 enforcement results:
http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/enforcement-annual-results-fiscal-year-fy-2015
