STATE OF INDIANA

COUNTY OF MARION

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SS:

BEFORE THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT,

Complainant,

v.

Peggy Ramsey,
d/b/a SPARKLE CAR WASH
             
and
Lake county trust company, Trustee
for the trust known as trust NO. 1266,

Respondent.

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Case No. 2002-12505-S




 

NOTICE AND ORDER OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

Via Certified Mail #:

 

Via Certified Mail #:

 

 

 

 

 

To:

Peggy Ramsey, d/b/a Sparkle Car Wash
5778 Mulberry Avenue
Portage, Indiana  46368-2909

 

Lake County Trust Company, Trustee for
the Trust known as Trust No. 1266
2200 North Main Street
Crown Point, Indiana  46307

 

This Notice and Order of the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“Order”) is issued against Peggy Ramsey d/b/a Sparkle Car Wash (hereinafter referred to as "Ramsey") and Lake County Trust Company, Trustee for the Trust known as Trust No. 1266, (hereinafter referred to as "Trust Company"), pursuant to IC 13-30-3-4, IC 13-30-3-10, and IC 13-30-3-11, and is based on a violation of an environmental rule found during an investigation conducted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”).

 

Specifically, the investigation, which included an inspection on September 16, 2002, revealed that Respondents Ramsey and the Trust Company violated 329 IAC 9-6-5(c), as specified below.

 

FINDINGS

 

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

 

2.        Ramsey registered the underground storage tank systems located at 6458 Central Avenue, Portage, Porter County, Indiana ("the Site").  The Trust Company owns the property at the Site, and the Trust Company is the Trustee.

 

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

 

4.        All references to 329 IAC 9 and its various parts and subparts in the “Findings” portion of this Order are to the version in effect prior to the rule change effective September 29, 2004.  All references to 329 IAC 9 and its various parts and subparts in the “Order” portion of this Order are to the version currently in effect.

 

5.        Pursuant to 329 IAC 9-6-5(c), when a UST system has been temporarily closed for twelve (12) months, the owner or operator shall permanently close the UST system if it does not meet the performance standards in 329 IAC 9-2-1 or upgrading requirements in 329 IAC 9-2.1, except that spill and overfill equipment requirements do not have to be met.

 

6.        An IDEM inspector conducted an inspection of the Site on September 16, 2002.  The inspector observed two (2) underground storage tanks that were temporarily closed for at least twelve (12) months and did not meet the performance standards in 329 IAC 9-2-1 or upgrading requirements in 329 IAC 9-2.1.

 

7.        The UST systems at the Site have been in temporary closure for more than twelve (12) months, have not been permanently closed, and do not meet the performance standards in 329 IAC 9-2-1 or upgrading requirements in 329 IAC 9-2.1.

 

8.        On May 13, 2003, a Notice of Violation was issued, pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, to Ramsey and the Trust Company for the violation cited above.  Ramsey and the Trust Company received this Notice of Violation on May 16, 2003.

 

9.        On February 9, 2006, an Amended Notice of Violation was issued, pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, to Ramsey and the Trust Company for the violation cited above.  The Trust Company received this Amended Notice of Violation on February 13, 2006 and Ramsey received this Amended Notice of Violation on February 21, 2006.

 

10.    The Notice of Violation and Amended Notice of Violation each contained an offer to enter into an Agreed Order in compliance with IC 13-30-3-3.  IDEM provided Ramsey and the Trust Company with a proposed Agreed Order.

 

11.    More than sixty (60) days have elapsed since Ramsey and the Trust Company were offered the opportunity to enter into an Agreed Order.

 

12.    Ramsey and the Trust Company have not entered into an Agreed Order resolving the violation cited above.

 

ORDER

 

1.        Upon the Effective Date of this Order, Ramsey and the Trust Company shall immediately cease and desist violation of 329 IAC 9 6-5(c).

 

2.        Ramsey and the Trust Company shall permanently close the UST systems at the Site as follows:

 

(a)            Close the UST systems within sixty (60) days of the Effective Date of this Order by one of the methods specified in 329 IAC 9-6-1 and comply with the applicable closure requirements found in 329 IAC 9-6-2.5 through 329 IAC 9-6-4, including the applicable requirements for corrective action under 329 IAC 9-5-1 through 9-5-8; and

 

(b)            Within thirty (30) days of closing the UST systems, submit a closure report to IDEM in accordance with 329 IAC 9-6-2.5.

 

3.        Ramsey and the Trust Company shall ensure that all work conducted to satisfy the requirements of Order Paragraph No. 2 is done in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

 

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

 

Barbara Goldblatt, Enforcement Case Manager

Office of Enforcement   Mail Code: 60-02

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2251

 

5.        Ramsey and the Trust Company are assessed jointly and severally a civil penalty of Three Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($3,200) for the violation cited above.  This penalty shall be remitted to IDEM within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of this Order.  The check shall be made payable to the Underground Petroleum Storage Tank Trust Fund with Case Number 2002-12505-S indicated on the check and mailed to:

 

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Cashiers Office – Mail Code 50-10C

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana  46204-2251

 

6.        This Order shall apply to and be binding upon Ramsey and the Trust Company, their successors and assigns.  No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of Ramsey and/or the Trust Company shall in any way alter their status or responsibilities under this Order.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE OF ORDER

 

Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-5, this Order takes effect twenty (20) days following receipt unless you request review of this Order, before the twentieth day after receipt, by filing a written request for review with the Office of Environmental Adjudication, and serving a copy of the request for review upon the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.  You may request that the Office of Environmental Adjudication conduct a hearing to review this Order, under IC 4-21.5, in its entirety, or you may limit your request for review to specific findings and/or orders contained in this Order.  Requests for review must be submitted to the Office of Environmental Adjudication and the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management at the following addresses:

 

Director

Commissioner

Office of Environmental Adjudication

IDEM

Indiana Government Center North

Indiana Government Center North

100 North Senate Avenue, Room 1049

100 North Senate Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

Indianapolis, Indiana  46204-2251

 

Failure to properly submit a request for review before the twentieth day following receipt of this Order of the Commissioner, waives your right to administrative review of this Order and your right to judicial review of the Order.  The petition for administrative review must contain the following information:

 

a.    Name, address, and telephone number of each person filing the petition.

b.    Identification of the interest of each petitioner in the subject of the petition.

c.    Statement of facts demonstrating that the petitioner is:

(A)     a person to whom the order is directed;

(B)     aggrieved or adversely affected by the order; or

(C)    entitled to review under any law.

d.    Statement with particularity of the legal issues proposed for consideration in the proceedings.

 

The petition for administrative review should also contain the following information:

 

a.    Identification of any persons represented by the person making the request.

b.    Statement identifying the person against whom administrative review is sought.

c.         A copy of the notice of the Commissioner’s action issued by the Department of Environmental Management which is the basis of the petition for administrative review.

d.                 Statement indicating the identification of petitioner’s attorney or other representative.

 

If you have procedural or scheduling questions regarding your request for review you may contact the Office of Environmental Adjudication at (317) 232-8591.

 

Dated at Indianapolis, Indiana, this ____ day of _________, 2006

 

 

 

  Signed on May 11, 2006

Thomas W. Easterly

Commissioner

 

cc:       Earl Studtmann, attorney-at-law

Lee Ann Kruszynski, ATC Associates

John Shepherd, Development Finance Advisor, Portage

Sandra Siler, US EPA, Reg 5 HQ, OUST, Chicago, IL

Porter County Health Department

Porter County Public file

Matthew T. Klein, AC Compliance & Enforcement, IDEM

NW Regional Office, IDEM

Skip Powers, UST Compliance, IDEM

Michelle Reeves, Legal Counsel, IDEM

Barbara Goldblatt, Office of Enforcement, IDEM

http://www.in.gov/idem