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.

C & D TECHNOLOGIES, INC,

Respondent.

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Case No. 2016-23929-A




 

 

AGREED ORDER

 

Complainant and 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.  Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, entry into the terms of this Agreed Order does not constitute an admission of any violation contained herein.  Respondent's entry into this Agreed Order shall not constitute a waiver of any defense, legal or equitable, which Respondent may have in any future administrative or judicial proceeding, except a proceeding to enforce this order.

 

I.  FINDINGS OF FACT

 

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

 

2.             Respondent is C&D Technologies, Inc. (“Respondent”), which owns/operates the facility with Plant ID No. 045-00008, located at 200 West Main Street in Attica, Fountain County, Indiana (“Site”).

 

3.             IDEM has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action.

 

4.             Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation (“NOV”) via Certified Mail to:

 

Christina Rheault, CEO and Registered Agent

C&D Technologies, Inc.

1400 Union Meeting Road

PO Box 3053

Blue Bell, PA 19422-0858

 

5.             Respondent owns and operates a lead battery manufacturing plant with Plant I.D. No. 045-00008 located at 200 West Main Street in Attica, Fountain County, Indiana (the “Site”).

 

6.             During a stack test investigation conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violations were found:

 

a.       Pursuant to 40 CFR 60, Subpart KK and Condition D.1.2 of Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit 045-34583-00008 (“Permit”), emissions of lead shall not exceed 0.000437 grains per dry standard cubic foot (gr/dscf) of exhaust.

 

Respondent exceeded this limit during stack testing conducted on March 9, 2015, with a recorded lead (Pb) stack emission rate for EU 0300E (stack 230) of 0.000767gr/dscf, in violation of 40 CFR Subpart KK and Condition D.1.2 of the Permit.

 

b.       Pursuant to Condition C.17 of Respondent’s Permit, a retest to demonstrate compliance of a failed stack test shall be performed no later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of the failed test.

Respondent failed to retest within one hundred eighty (180) days; the retest of stack 230 was performed on February 16, 2016, 344 days after failed test, in violation of Condition C.17 of the Permit.

 

7.             The results of Respondent’s retest on February 16, 2016, demonstrated compliance with 40 CFR 60, Subpart KK and section D.1.2 of the Permit.

8.             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 Complainant or Complainant’s delegate, and has been received by Respondent.  This Agreed Order shall have no force or effect until the Effective Date.

 

2.             Respondent shall comply with 40 CFR 60, Subpart KK, and conditions of Respondent’s current FESOP 045-34583-00008, including conditions D.1.2 and C.17 of the Permit.

 

3.             Within One hundred twenty (120) days of the Effective Date of this Agreed Order, Respondent shall conduct performance stack testing pursuant to 326 IAC 3-6 to verify that lead emissions from stack 230 are complying with condition D.1.2 of the Permit and 40 CFR 60, Subpart KK.

 

4.             All submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless Respondent is notified otherwise in writing by IDEM, shall be sent to:

 

Erin Bassett, Compliance and Enforcement Manager

Compliance and Enforcement Branch – Mail Code 61-53

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

5.             Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Fourteen Thousand dollars ($14,000.00).  Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date; the 30th day being the “Due Date”.

 

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

 

Paragraph

Violation

Stipulated Penalty

Three (3)

Failed to test stack 230 within 120 days of the effective date of this Agreed Order.

Two Hundred and Fifty dollars ($250.00) per week.

 

7.             Stipulated penalties shall be due and payable no later than the 30th day after Respondent receives written notice that Complainant has determined a stipulated penalty is due; the 30th day being the “Due Date”.  Complainant may notify Respondent at any time that a stipulated penalty is due.  Failure to notify Respondent in writing in a timely manner of a stipulated penalty assessment shall not waive Complainant’s right to collect such stipulated penalty or preclude Complainant from seeking additional relief against Respondent for violation of this Agreed Order.  Neither assessment nor payment of stipulated penalties shall preclude Complainant from seeking additional relief against Respondent for a violation of this Agreed Order; such additional relief includes any remedies or sanctions available pursuant to Indiana law, including, but not limited to, civil penalties pursuant to IC 13-30-4.

 

8.             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:

 

IDEM Office of Legal Counsel

IGCN, Rm  N1307

100 N Senate Ave

Indianapolis, IN  46204

 

9.             This Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon Respondent and its successors and assigns.  Respondent’s signatory to this Agreed Order certifies that it is fully authorized to execute this Agreed Order and legally bind the party it represents.  No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of Respondent shall in any way alter its status or responsibilities under this Agreed Order.

 

10.          In the event that the monies due to IDEM pursuant to this Agreed Order are not paid on or before their Due Date, Respondent shall pay interest on the unpaid balance at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1.  The interest shall be computed as having accrued from the Due Date until the date that Respondent pays any unpaid balance.  Such interest shall be payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund, and shall be payable to IDEM in the manner specified in Paragraph 8, above.

 

11.          In the event that any terms of this 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 this Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.

 

12.          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.

 

13.          This Agreed Order is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a modification of an existing permit.  This Agreed Order, and IDEM’s review or approval of any submittal made by Respondent pursuant to this Agreed Order, shall not in any way relieve Respondent of its obligation to comply with the requirements of its applicable permit or any applicable Federal or State law or regulation.

 

14.          Complainant does not, by its approval of this Agreed Order, warrant or aver in any manner that Respondent’s compliance with any aspect of this Agreed Order will result in compliance with the provisions of any permit, order, or any applicable Federal or State law or regulation.  Additionally, IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.

 

15.          Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent or limit IDEM’s rights to obtain penalties or injunctive relief under any applicable Federal or State law or regulation, except that IDEM may not, and hereby waives its right to, seek additional civil penalties for the same violations specified in the NOV.

 

16.          Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf from communicating with the EPA or any other agency or entity about any matters relating to this enforcement action.  IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur as a result of such communications with the EPA or any other agency or entity.

 

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

 

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

 

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

 

C&D Technologies, Inc.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

Janusz Johnson, Chief

 

Printed:

 

 

Compliance and Enforcement Section 1

 

Title:

 

 

Office of Air Quality

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

 

DAY OF

 

, 2016.

 

 

For the Commissioner

 

 

 

Signed on December 27, 2016

 

Keith Baugues, Assistant Commissioner

 

Office of Air Quality

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management