STATE OF INDIANA

COUNTY OF MARION

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BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

Complainant,

v.

GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS d/b/a

GRANT COUNTY RECYCLING,

Respondent.

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Case No. 2005-15060-H

 

 

AGREED ORDER

 

The Complainant and the Respondent desire to settle and compromise this action without hearing or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and consent to the entry of the following Findings of Fact and Order.

 

I.  FINDINGS OF FACT

 

1.       Complainant is the Commissioner (“Complainant”) of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, a department of the State of Indiana created by IC 13-13-1-1.

 

2.       Respondent is Grant County Commissioners d/b/a Grant County Recycling ("Respondent"), which operates the facility located at 3939 Garthwaite Road in Gas City, Grant County, Indiana (“Site”).

 

3.       The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action.

 

4.       Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, on May 16, 2006, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation via Certified Mail to:

 

Mr. Jeremy Diller, President 

Grant County Commissioners

410 South Adams Street

Marion, Indiana 46953

 

5.       Respondent operates a recycling operation for household hazardous waste and small businesses.

 

6.       Inspections on September 15, 2005 and March 7, 2006 were conducted at the Site by representatives of IDEM’s Office of Land Quality (“OLQ”).  The following violations were in existence or observed at the time of these inspections:

 

a.       Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(1), no person shall discharge, emit, cause, or allow any contaminant or waste, including any noxious odor, either alone or in combination with contaminants from other sources, into the environment in violation of 329 IAC 10-4-2.   Respondent caused and/or allowed paint waste, waste tires, foundry sand, and other wastes and materials to be released into the environment.  On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted to IDEM documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

b.       Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(3), no person shall deposit any contaminant upon the land in a place or manner that creates or would create a pollution hazard that violates or would violate 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 329 IAC 10-4-3.  Respondent deposited paint waste, waste tires, foundry sand, and other wastes and materials, upon the land in several areas at the Site.   On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

c.       Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(4), no person shall deposit or cause or allow the deposit of contaminants or solid waste upon the land, except through the use of sanitary landfills, incineration, composting, garbage grinding, or another method acceptable to the solid waste management board.  Respondent caused and/or allowed paint waste, waste tires, foundry sand, and other waste and materials, to be deposited in the area behind the recycling building in a manner unacceptable to the solid waste management board.  On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

d.       Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(5), no person shall dump or cause or allow the open dumping of garbage or any other solid waste in violation of 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 329 IAC 10-4-3.  Respondent caused and/or allowed paint waste, waste tires, foundry sand, and other waste and materials, to be open dumped at the Site in the area behind the recycling building.  On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted to IDEM documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

e.       Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-2, no person shall cause or allow the storage, containment, processing, or disposal of solid waste in a manner which creates a threat to human health or the environment, including the creating of a fire hazard, vector attraction, air or water pollution, or other contamination.  Respondent caused and/or allowed the disposal of paint waste, waste tires, and foundry sand, in a manner which creates a threat to human health and the environment. On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

f.       Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-3, open dumping and open dumps, as those terms are defined in IC 13-11-2-146 and IC 13-11-2-147, are prohibited.  Respondent accumulated paint wastes in 55-gallon drums, then emptied the waste outside in trenches lined with foundry sand.  Respondent also dumped waste tires and other solid wastes in several places at the Site. On August 10, 2006, Respondent submitted documentation showing that all tires had been removed from the Site by a certified scrap tire hauler and processor.

 

g.       Pursuant to 329 IAC 15-3-2, the owner or operator of a waste tire storage site shall possess a valid certificate of registration issued under 329 IAC 15-3; comply with all applicable requirements of 329 IAC 15-3; and maintain financial assurance as required by 329 IAC 15-5.  Respondent stored over 4,800 waste tires at the site, but did not have a valid certificate of registration under 329 IAC 15-3; did not comply with all applicable requirements of 329 IAC 15-3; and did not maintain financial assurance as required by 329 IAC 15-5.

 

7.       In recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent waives any right to administrative and judicial review of this Agreed Order.

 

II.  ORDER

 

1.       This Agreed Order shall be effective ("Effective Date") when it is approved by the Complainant or his delegate, and has been received by the Respondent.  This Agreed Order shall have no force or effect until the Effective Date.

 

2.       Upon the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall comply with IC 13-30-2-1(1), (3), (4), and (5); and 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 10-4-3.  Specifically, Respondent shall immediately cease depositing waste into the environment.

 

3.       Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall comply with IC 13-30-2-1(1), (3), (4), and (5); and 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 10-4-3.  Specifically, Respondent shall clean up the releases of paint waste and foundry sand, and any other contaminants, in the trenches located behind the recycling facility.

 

4.       Within forty-five (45) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall submit to IDEM documentation that releases of paint waste, foundry sand, and any other contaminants, in the trenches have been cleaned up.

 

5.       Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall submit to IDEM a site assessment plan.  The purpose of the site assessment plan shall be to conduct sampling and analysis in order to assess potential soil and ground water contamination in the trenches located behind the recycling building, and if necessary, the nature and extent of contamination.  The site assessment plan shall be based upon the principles outlined within IDEM’s Risk Integrated System of Closure (RISC) Technical Resource Guidance Document (“TRGD”), dated February 15, 2001, which can be accessed at http://www/IN/gov/idem/land/risc.  In addition, the site assessment plan shall:

 

a.       Describe and evaluate all areas of potential contamination in and around the area of concern.

 

b.       Specify the method of determining the number and location of samples to be taken to yield a representative assessment of the area of concern.  This method shall be:

 

1.       random sampling, pursuant to Section 3.4 of Chapter 3 of the TRGD; or

 

2.       directed sampling, pursuant to Section 3.4 of Chapter 3 of the TRGD; and

 

3.       developed to provide locations and methods of any ground water samples pursuant to Section 3.4 of Chapter 3 of the TRGD.

 

c.       Specify how the soil samples will be obtained and handled in order to minimize loss of volatile constituents.  Respondent may composite samples of non-volatiles (i.e., metals and semi-volatiles), but shall not composite samples of volatiles, pursuant to Section 3.4 of Chapter 3 of the TRGD.

 

d.       Specify how the ground water samples will be obtained and describe the sampling procedures.

 

e.       Clearly define all sampling and analytical protocols designed to identify hazardous waste or its constituents, pursuant to 40 CFR Part 261, including 40 CFR Part 261 Appendices I, II, III, and VIII.  The site assessment plan shall include the method of sample collection, pursuant to “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods,” EPA Publication SW-846.  This includes, but is not limited to, sample collection containers, preservatives, and holding times.  Specify the analytical methods to be used and the method’s Estimated Quantitation Limits (EQLs).

 

f.        Specify that chain-of-custody of the samples shall be maintained and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (“QA/QC”) procedures shall be followed, pursuant to Appendix 2 of the TRGD.

 

g.       Include within the site assessment plan a supplemental contingent plan for determining the nature and extent of:

 

1.       soil contamination, as specified in Chapter 4 of the TRGD, in the event that sampling and analysis indicates soil contamination to exist above default residential levels as specified in Table A, Appendix I, of the TRGD; and

 

2.       ground water contamination in the event that sampling and analysis indicates hazardous waste or its constituents are detected in the ground water as specified in Chapter 4 of the TRGD.

 

h.       Include within the site assessment plan time frames for its implementation.

 

i.        Be approved by IDEM prior to its implementation.

 

6.       Within fifteen (15) days of receiving notice from IDEM of approval of the site assessment plan, Respondent shall implement it as approved and in accordance with the time frames contained therein.

 

7.       Within fifteen (15) days of obtaining the analytical results, Respondent shall submit said results, including chain-of-custody information, and QA/QC records, pursuant to Appendix 2 of the TRGD, to IDEM.

 

8.       If soil or ground water contamination is identified, Respondent shall submit within sixty (60) days subsequent to the completion of the analyses, a remediation workplan to IDEM for the purpose of remediating all soil and /or ground water contamination.  The remediation workplan shall:

 

a.       In accordance with Chapter 6 of the TRGD, remediate each contaminated area to closure.  Closure levels shall be one of the following:

 

1.       default residential levels, pursuant to Table A, Appendix I, in the TRGD; or

 

2.       commercial/industrial default values (if appropriate to the facility), pursuant to Table A, Appendix I, in the TRGD.  Ground water shall meet residential default values at the property boundary or control; or

 

3.       closure levels for soil can also be established using the non-default procedures presented in Chapter 7 of the RISC Technical Guide.  The alternate cleanup level proposal must document that the constituents left in soil will not adversely impact any other environmental medium (ground water, surface water, or atmosphere) and that direct contact through dermal exposure, inhalation, or ingestion will not result in threats to human health or the environment; or

 

4.       background levels for metals, pursuant to Section 1.6 of Chapter 1 of the TRGD, and/or the analytical method’s estimated quantitation limits (“EQLs”) for organics.

 

b.       Include a soil and/or a ground water sampling and analysis plan to be performed after the cleanup has been performed which verifies that all contamination has been removed.

 

c.       Include within the remediation workplan time frames for its implementation.

 

9.       Within fifteen (15) days of approval by IDEM of the remediation workplan, Respondent shall implement the plan as approved and in accordance with the time frames contained therein.

 

10.     Within thirty (30) days of completion of the remedial action conducted pursuant to the remediation workplan, Respondent shall submit to IDEM certification by an independent registered professional engineer that the remedial action has been completed as outlined in the approved remediation workplan.

 

11.     In the event that IDEM determines that any plan submitted by Respondent is deficient or otherwise unacceptable, Respondent shall revise and resubmit the plan to IDEM in accordance with IDEM’s notice.  After three (3) submissions of such plan by Respondent, IDEM may modify and approve any such plan and Respondent must implement the plan as modified by IDEM. The approved plan shall be incorporated into this Agreed Order and shall be deemed an enforceable part thereof.

 

12.     All submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless notified otherwise in writing, shall be sent to:

 

Aubrey N. Sherif

Senior Environmental Manager

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Office of Enforcement – Mail Code 60-02

100 N. Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

13.     Respondent is assessed a civil penalty of Nine Thousand Dollars ($9,000).  Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order.

 

14.     In the event the terms and conditions of the following paragraphs are violated, the Complainant may assess and the Respondent shall pay a stipulated penalty in the following amount:

 

Violation

Penalty

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 4

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 5

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 6

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 7

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 8

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 9

$500 per week

Failure to comply with Order paragraph 10

$500 per week

 

15.     Stipulated penalties shall be due and payable within thirty (30) days after Respondent receives written notice that the Complainant has determined a stipulated penalty is due.  Assessment and payment of stipulated penalties shall not preclude the Complainant from seeking any additional relief against the Respondent for violation of the Agreed Order.  In lieu of any of the stipulated penalties given above, the Complainant may seek any other remedies or sanctions available by virtue of Respondent’s violation of this Agreed Order or Indiana law, including, but not limited to, civil penalties pursuant to IC 13-30-4.

 

16.     Civil and stipulated penalties are payable by check to the Environmental Management Special Fund.  Checks shall include the Case Number of this action and shall be mailed to:

 

Cashier

Indiana Department of Environmental Management-Mail Code 50-10C

100 N. Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204- 2251

 

17.     In the event that the civil penalty required by Order paragraph 13 is not paid within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall pay interest on the unpaid balance at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1-101.  The interest shall continue to accrue until the civil penalty is paid in full.

 

18.     This Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon the Respondent, its successors and assigns. The Respondent's signatories to this Agreed Order certify that they are fully authorized to execute this document and legally bind the parties they represent.  No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of the Respondent shall in any way alter its status or responsibilities under this Agreed Order.

 

19.     In the event that any terms of the Agreed Order are found to be invalid, the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.

 

20.     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreed Order, the Complainant reserves, and this Agreed Order is without prejudice to, the right to institute proceedings in this action or in a new action for injunctive relief, costs, civil penalty and/or remediation of environmental contamination that is either discovered after the entry into the Agreed Order or that has not been adequately remedied despite compliance by Respondent with the terms of this Agreed Order.

 

21.     The Respondent shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent owners or successors before ownership rights are transferred.  Respondent shall ensure that all contractors, firms and other persons performing work under this Agreed Order comply with the terms of this Agreed Order.

 

22.     This Agreed Order shall remain in effect until IDEM issues a Resolution of Case letter to Respondent.

 

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

 

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

Nancy L. Johnston, Chief

 

Printed:

 

 

Hazardous Waste Section

 

Title:

 

 

Office of Enforcement

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR COMPLAINANT:

 

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Office of Legal Counsel

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

 

DAY OF

 

, 2006.

 

 

For The Commissioner:

 

 

 

Signed on October 13, 2006

 

Matthew T. Klein

 

Assistant Commissioner

 

of Compliance and Enforcement