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,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

Complainant,

 

)

 

 

 

)

 

 

v.

 

)

Case No. 2022-28771-H

 

 

)

 

HERITAGE TRANSPORT, 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 Heritage Transport, LLC (“Respondent”), which at the time of the violation was operating out of the facility with United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) ID No. ILD085349264 located at 15330 Canal Bank Road in Lemont, Cook County, Illinois

 

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 December 19, 2022 to:

 

Dean DeSantis, Manager for

Heritage Transport, LLC

5400 W. 86th Street

Indianapolis, Indiana 46268

 

C T Corporation, Registered Agent for

Heritage Transport, LLC

334 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

 

5.            Respondent transports hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

 

6.            329 Indiana Administrative Code (“IAC”) 3.1 incorporates federal hazardous waste management requirements found in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) Parts 260 through 270 and Part 273, including those identified below.

 

7.            During an investigation including a record review on May 20, 2022 conducted by a representative of IDEM, the following violations were found:

 

a.            Pursuant to 40 CFR 263.20(a)(1), a transporter may not accept hazardous waste from a generator unless the transporter is also provided with a manifest from (EPA Form 8700-22, and if necessary, EPA Form 8700-22A) signed in accordance with the requirement of § 262.23, or is provided with an electronic manifest that is obtained, completed, and transmitted in accordance with § 262.20(a)(3) of this chapter, and signed with a valid and enforceable electronic signature as described in 40 CFR 262.25.

 

Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(12), a person may not cause or allow the transportation of a hazardous waste without a manifest if a manifest is required by law.

 

Respondent accepted hazardous waste for transportation and disposal on a non-hazardous waste manifest. Specifically, Respondent accepted D007 hazardous waste as non-hazardous waste from US Steel and disposed the waste at Republic’s Newton County Landfill.

 

8.            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 statutes and rules listed in the findings of fact above.

 

3.            Within fifteen (15) days of the Effective Date of the Agreed Order, Respondent shall submit a corrective and preventative action plan to prevent future incidents to IDEM.

 

4.            Upon the Effective Date of the Agreed Order, Respondent shall comply with 40 CFR 263.20(a)(1) and IC 13-30-2-1(12). Specifically, shall properly manifest hazardous waste for transport and/or disposal.

 

5.         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

 

6.         Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, Respondent is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of Fourteen Thousand Dollars ($14,000.00). Respondent shall pay a portion of this penalty in the amount of Two Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($2,800.00). After this Agreed Order is adopted (signed by the Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Land Quality), Respondent shall pay by the due date printed on the Invoice that will be attached to the adopted Agreed Order.

 

Civil and stipulated penalties are payable to the “Environmental Management Special Fund” by:

 

Mail:

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

 

Online:

Accounts Receivable is accepting payments online by e-Check, Master Card, Visa or Discover. Please visit www.IN.gov/IDEM. Under Online Services, click Online Payment options and follow the prompts. A processing fee of $1 plus 1.99% will be charged for credit card payments.  A processing fee of $1.00 will be charged for eCheck payments.

 

The Case Number is required to complete the process.

 

Phone:

You may also call us at 317-234-3099 and follow the instructions for Master Card, Visa or Discover payments. A processing fee of $1 plus 1.99% will be charged for credit card payments.  A processing fee of $1.00 will be charged for eCheck payments.

 

The Case Number is required to complete the process.

 

7.         In lieu of payment of the remaining civil penalty, Respondent shall make a cash payment to the Indiana Finance Authority ("IFA") to fund a Supplemental Environmental Project ("SEP") of activities related to brownfield development at a brownfield site ("Brownfield Site") in Marion County, Indiana. Respondent will make a payment in the amount of Eleven Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($11,200.00) to fund SEP activities at the Brownfield Site. Respondent shall make such payment to the IFA within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date. Payment to the IFA satisfies Respondent's obligation to undertake a SEP to offset a portion of the civil penalty assessed in this matter. Implementation of this SEP will benefit the community by rejuvenating neighborhoods, increasing the tax base, mitigating threats to human health and the environment, and/or reducing blight. In the event that the civil penalty is not paid within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, 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.

 

The Brownfield Site at which some or all of the SEP proceeds will be spent will be determined by the Brownfields Program for a site located in Marion County, Indiana. The designation of this Brownfield Site to receive the SEP proceeds is agreed upon by the Complainant, Respondent, and the IFA. The IFA will account for the SEP payment and the Brownfields Program will oversee the work undertaken at the Brownfield Site funded by the SEP proceeds. If SEP proceeds remain following a determination by the Brownfields Program that no additional SEP proceeds are needed at the Brownfield Site, the Brownfields Program will select another site or sites in Marion County, Indiana at which work will be funded with the balance of the SEP proceeds. The IFA will notify IDEM's Enforcement Case Manager when SEP-funded activities at the Brownfield Site (and any other site at which activities may be funded with SEP proceeds) are complete.

 

In the event that Respondent does not make its SEP payment within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date, the full amount of the civil penalty as stated in this paragraph, plus interest established by IC 24-4.6-1-101 on the remaining amount, less the portion of the civil penalty Respondent has already paid, will be due within fifteen (15) days from Respondent's receipt of IDEM's notice to pay. Interest at the rate established by IC 24- 4.6-1-101, shall be calculated on the amount due from the date which is thirty (30) days after the Effective Date of this Agreed Order until the full civil penalty is paid.

 

Payment of the SEP is payable by check to the "Indiana Finance Authority." The text "SEP- Indianapolis" and the Case Numbers of this action shall be included in the memo line of the check. The check shall be mailed to:

 

Meredith Gramelspacher

Indiana Brownfields Program - SEP 100 N. Senate Avenue

Room 1275

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

 

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 week

 

9.         Stipulated penalties shall be due and payable after Respondent receives written notice that Complainant has determined a stipulated penalty is due; at which time, a separate invoice will be issued. 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.       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 an additional penalty of 10 percent, payable to the “Environmental Management Special Fund”, and shall be payable to IDEM in the manner specified in Paragraph 6, above.

 

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

 

12.       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.

 

13.       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.

 

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

 

15.       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.

 

16.       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.

 

17.       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.

 

18.       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.

 

19.       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.

 

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

 

TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION:

 

Department of Environmental Management

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Reno, Chief

 

 

 

Land Enforcement Section

 

 

 

Compliance Branch

 

 

 

Office of Land Quality

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESPONDENT:

COUNSEL FOR RESPONDENT:

Heritage Transport, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

Printed:

 

 

Printed:

 

Date:

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL FOR INDIANA FINANCE AUTHORITY:

  

For the Indiana Brownfields Program

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

        Director and General Counsel

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNSEL &/OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

  

 

For the City of Indianapolis

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT THIS

 

DAY OF

 

, 20_____

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Commissioner:

 

 

Signed 2/16/2023

 

 

Peggy Dorsey

 

 

Assistant Commissioner

 

 

Office of Land Quality