STATE OF INDIANA

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SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF

 

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COUNTY OF MARION

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT

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OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

 

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Complainant,

 

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v.

 

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Case No. 2021-28160-C

 

 

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MARCHINO BROS INC.,

 

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Respondent.

 

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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 per Indiana Secretary of State Marchino Bros Inc. and per Confined Feeding Operation Permit #3880 Marchino Bros Inc. Inc. (“Respondent”) which owns and operates the farm, with CFO Permit No. 3880, located at 180 N. Marchino Road, in Wheatland, Knox 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 on November 4, 2021 to:

 

Rex Marchino, President and Registered Agent for

Marchino Bros Inc.

180 N. Marchino Road

Wheatland, Indiana 47597

mbioffice@marchinobros.com

 

5.            Respondent operates a 1,440 nursey pig and 3,500 finishing hog swine farm.

 

6.            During an inspection and a record review on October 6, 2021 conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violations were found:

 

a.            Pursuant to 327 Indiana Administrative Code (“IAC”) 19-14-3(b), the application rate of nitrogen (N) must not exceed the N requirements based on the recommendations in: (1) Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service publication ID-101: Animal Manure as a Plant Nutrient Resource, February 2001, available from the Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; or (2) Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybeans, Wheat and Alfalfa, Extension Bulletin E-2567 (New), July 1995, available from the Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; for current and planned crops of the upcoming growing season as documented in the operating record. Minimum N loss estimates must be used unless otherwise justified. This justification must be kept in the operating record; and (e), Beginning with the effective date of this article, CFOs and CAFOs not listed in subsection (d) must comply with the phosphorus application rates in Table 2.

 

As noted during the inspection, Nitrogen and Phosphorus application exceeded the agronomic rates on fields Ellis 1 (N-34%, P-78%), Ellis 2 (N-35%), and PS4 (N-34%, P-78%) during the months of March/April 2021.

 

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 rule listed in the findings of fact above.

 

3.            Effective Immediately, Respondent shall not land apply manure to Ellis 1, Ellis 2, and PS4 during calendar year 2022.

 

4.            Within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, Respondent shall submit all manure application records from October 6, 2021 to December 31, 2021 to IDEM for review.

 

5.            Prior to the next application of manure, which shall not be for approximately two years, to impacted fields Ellis 1, Ellis 2, and PS4, up dated soil tests shall be taken and included in the operating record for review at the next inspection.

 

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

 

Jodi Pisula, Enforcement Case Manager

Office of Land Quality

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

 

7.            Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000.00). Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the “Environmental Management Special Fund” within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date; the thirtieth day being the “Due Date.”

 

8.            In the event the terms and conditions of the following paragraphs are violated, Complainant may assess, and Respondent shall pay stipulated penalties in the following amounts:

 

Paragraph

Stipulated Penalty

Order paragraph #3

$100.00 per violation

Order paragraph #4

$100.00 per violation

 

9.            Stipulated penalties shall be due and payable no later than the thirtieth day after Respondent receives written notice that Complainant has determined a stipulated penalty is due; the thirtieth 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.

 

10.         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:

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Accounts Receivable

IGCN, Room 1340

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

 

11.         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 10, above.

 

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

 

13.         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.

 

14.         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.

 

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

 

16.         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.

 

17.         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.

 

18.         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.

 

19.         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.

 

20.         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.

 

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

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

RESPONDENT:

Department of Environmental Management

Marchino Bros Inc.

 

 

By: _________

By:  _________________________

 

Jennifer Reno, Section Chief

 

 

Land Enforcement Section

Printed: ______________________

Office of Land Quality

 

 

Title: ________________________

 

 

Date: __

Date: _______________________

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

 

 

 

 

 

By: ________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: ______________________

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

_________

DAY OF

________________________,

20__.

 

 

For the Commissioner:

 

 

 

__Signed 1/6/2022______

 

Peggy Dorsey, Assistant Commissioner

 

Office of Land Quality