STATE OF INDIANA

)

SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF

 

)

 

 

COUNTY OF MARION

)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT

)

 

OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

Complainant,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

 

v.

 

)

Case No. 2019-26075-A

 

 

)

 

GENERAL MOTORS, LLC,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

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 General Motors, LLC (“Respondent”), which owns and operates the stationary automobile and light duty truck assembly plant with Plant ID No. 003-00036 located at 12200 Lafayette Center Road in Roanoke, Allen 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”) in conjunction with this Agreed Order via Certified and Electronic mail to:

 

Mark Reuss, Member                          Corporation Service Company,

General Motors, LLC                           Registered Agent

300 Renaissance Center,                    135 North Pennsylvania St., Suite 1610

MC: 482-C14-C66                               Indianapolis, IN 46204

Detroit, MI 48265                                sop@cscglobal.com

 

5.             During an investigation including a report review conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violation was found:

 

a.             Pursuant to Part 70 Operating Permit No. 003-34985-00036, Condition D.7.2(a), the volatile organic content (“VOC”) input/usage at the Miscellaneous Sealers and Adhesives operation, identified as 022, shall be limited to less than twenty (20) tons per twelve (12) consecutive month period, with compliance determined at the end of each month.

 

Respondent exceeded the twenty (20) tons per twelve (12) consecutive month period VOC limit for a period of seven (7) months from September 2018 to March 2019, in violation of Part 70 Operating Permit No. 003-34985-00036, Condition D.7.2(a).

 

6.             Respondent notified IDEM that it expected to exceed the VOC input/usage limit before the exceedance occurred.

 

7.             Respondent worked with its supplier to reformulate the higher VOC sealer to a lower VOC sealer and started using the reformulated sealer on October 22, 2018.

 

8.             Respondent applied for a permit modification on November 16, 2018. Part 70 Significant Permit Modification No. 003-40723-00036 was issued on April 15, 2019. The modification resulted in the Condition D.7.2 limit being revised from the twenty (20) tons per twelve month period VOC input/usage to a limit on VOC emissions after control of the Primer Surfacer Coating System.

 

9.             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 Part 70 Permit No. 003-41020-00036 unless superseded by a permit renewal or modification.

 

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

 

Jennifer Bailey, Senior Enforcement Case Manager

Office of Air Quality

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

Jbailey2@idem.in.gov

 

4.             Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Ten Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($10,500.00).  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 have 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

 

General Motors, LLC

 

 

 

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

 

, 2021.

 

 

For the Commissioner:

 

 

 

Signed on September 23, 2021

 

Matthew Stuckey

 

Assistant Commissioner

 

Office of Air Quality

Indiana Department of Environmental Management