STATE OF INDIANA

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SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF

 

)

 

 

COUNTY OF MARION

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT

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OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

Complainant,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

 

v.

 

)

Case No. 2019-26547-A

 

 

)

 

KOETTER WOODWORKING, INC.,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

Respondent.

 

)

 

 

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 Indiana Code (“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 IC 13-13-1-1.

 

2.             Respondent is Koetter Woodworking, Inc. (“Respondent”), which owns and operates the stationary saw and millwork facility and a wood molding production plant with Plant ID No. 019-00079, located at 533 Louis Smith Road, in Borden, Clark 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:

 

Koetter Woodworking, Inc.

Attn: Gerald T. Koetter, President

533 Louis Smith Road

Borden, IN 47106

JerryK@koetterwoodworking.com

Randall F. Koetter, Registered Agent

Koetter Woodworking, Inc.

533 Louis Smith Road

Borden, IN 47106

RandyK@koetterwoodworking.com

 

5.             During an investigation including an inspection on September 10, 2019 conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violations were found:

 

a.             Pursuant to Part 70 Operating Permit No. 019-38218-00079 (“Permit 38218”) Conditions D.1.6(a) and D.1.7(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits, Respondent shall perform and maintain records of daily dry filter inspections associated with the paint booth and perform and maintain records of weekly observations of overspray from the paint booth stack.

 

From May 15, 2018 through September 30, 2018 and July 1, 2019 through September 10, 2019, Respondent failed to perform and maintain records of daily dry filter inspections associated with the paint booth and weekly observations of overspray from the paint booth stack, in violation of Permit 38218 Conditions D.1.6(a) and D.1.7(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits.

 

b.             Pursuant to Permit 38218 Conditions D.1.6(b) and D.1.7(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits, Respondent shall perform and maintain records of the monthly inspections of the coating emissions from the stack and the presence of overspray on the rooftops and the nearby ground.

 

From May 15, 2018 through September 10, 2019, Respondent failed to perform and maintain records of the monthly inspections of the coating emissions from the stack and the presence of overspray on the rooftops and the nearby ground, in violation of Permit 38218 Conditions D.1.6(b) and D.1.7(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits.

 

c.              Pursuant to Part 70 Operating Permit No. 019-40135-00079 (“Permit 40135”) Conditions D.2.5 and D.2.7, Respondent shall perform and maintain records of visible emission notations for boiler EU-01C stack exhausts once per day.

 

From October 1, 2018 through October 30, 2018, Respondent failed to perform and maintain records of visible emission notations for boiler EU-01C stack exhausts once per day, in violation of Permit 40135 Conditions D.2.5 and D.2.7.

 

d.             Pursuant to Permit 38218 Condition D.4.5(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits, Respondent shall calibrate or replace at least once every six (6) months the instruments used to determine pressure drops across baghouses used in conjunction with the grinding and machining operations.

 

From May 15, 2018 through September 10, 2019, Respondent failed to calibrate or replace at least once every six (6) months the instruments used for determining pressure drops across baghouses used in conjunction with the grinding and machining operations, in violation of Permit 38218 Condition D.4.5(b) and corresponding conditions in subsequent permits.

 

e.             Pursuant to Part 70 Operating Permit No. 019-41466-00079 (“Permit 41466”) Condition D.4.5(a) and the corresponding condition in the subsequent permit, Respondent shall complete the pressure drop readings across the baghouses used in conjunction with the grinding and machining operation at least once per week and take reasonable response steps if the pressure drops are outside the normal range.

 

From August 14, 2019 through September 10, 2019, Respondent failed to complete the pressure drop readings across dust bin collector DC12 at least once per week and failed to take reasonable response steps if the pressure drop was outside the normal range, in violation of Permit 41466 Condition D.4.5(a) and the corresponding condition in the subsequent permit.

 

f.               Pursuant to Permit 41466 Condition D.4.7(b) and the corresponding condition in the subsequent permit, Respondent shall maintain weekly records of the pressure drop readings for baghouses used in conjunction with the grinding and machining operation.

 

From August 14, 2019 through September 10, 2019, Respondent failed to maintain weekly records of the pressure drop readings for baghouses used in conjunction with the grinding and machining operation, in violation of Permit 41466 Condition D.4.7(b) and the corresponding condition in the subsequent permit.

 

6.             Respondent has trained staff on recordkeeping since the inspection on September 10, 2019. In addition, Respondent developed standard operating procedures for the paint booth, the boiler, and the pressure drop readings and installed a magnehelic gauge on dust bin collector DC-12. A preventative maintenance item was generated to perform the calibrations of the magnehelic gauges every 6 months.

 

7.             Orders of the Commissioner are subject to administrative review by the Office of Environmental Adjudication under IC 4-21.5; however, in recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent acknowledges notice of this right and 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 the environmental permit conditions listed in the findings of fact above.

 

3.             All submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless IDEM notifies the Respondent otherwise in writing, shall be sent to:

 

Heather Foxx, Enforcement Case Manager

Office of Air Quality

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

hfoxx@idem.in.gov

 

4.             Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Four Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($4,800.00).  Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the Environmental Management Special Fund within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date; the thirtieth day being the “Due Date.”

 

5.             Civil 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:

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Accounts Receivable

IGCN, Room 1340

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

 

6.             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 5, above.

 

7.             Signatories to this Agreed Order certify that they are fully authorized to execute this Agreed Order and legally bind the party they represent.

 

8.             This Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon Respondent and all successors and assigns. Respondent shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent owners, successors, or assigns before ownership rights are transferred.

 

9.             No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of Respondent shall in any way alter the Respondent’s status or responsibilities under this Agreed Order.

 

10.          Respondent shall ensure that all contractors, firms, and other persons performing work under this Agreed Order comply with the terms of this Agreed Order.

 

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.          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 the obligation to comply with the requirements of any applicable permits or any applicable Federal or State laws or regulations.

 

13.          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 Respondent’s efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.

 

14.          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 violations specified in the NOV.

 

15.          Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM or anyone acting on its behalf from communicating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“U.S. 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 U.S. EPA or any other agency or entity.

 

16.          This Agreed Order shall remain in effect until Respondent has complied with all terms and conditions of this Agreed Order and IDEM has issued a Resolution of Case letter to Respondent.

 

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

 

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

 

Koetter Woodworking, Inc.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

David P. McIver, Chief

 

Printed:

 

 

Enforcement Section

 

Title:

 

 

Office of Air Quality

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR COMPLAINANT:

 

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

For the Department of Environmental Management

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

 

DAY OF

 

, 2020.

 

 

For the Commissioner:

 

 

 

Signed on September 4, 2020

 

Matthew Stuckey Deputy Assistant

 

Commissioner

 

Office of Air Quality