NOTICE OF VIOLATION

 

Via Certified Mail#

7002 0510 0004 0442 5194

 

Via Certified Mail#

7002 0510 0004 0442 5187

Walter Crowe

 

Karl Crowe

Crowe Wrecking Company

 

8235 Everglades Dr.

2400 Grove Street

 

Evansville, IN   47720

Evansville, IN   47710

 

 

 

Case No.  2004 – 14364 – S

 

Based on investigations on February 6, February 9, and June 28, 2004, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) has reason to believe that Walter Crowe and Karl Crowe, d.b.a. Crowe Wrecking Company (“Respondents”) have violated environmental rules and statutes.  The violations are based on the following:

 

1.                  The Respondents own the property and operate the business located at the northwest corner of Grove Street and Diamond Avenue, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana (“Site”).

 

2.                  Pursuant to 327 IAC 2-1-6(a)(1), all waters at all times and at all places, including the mixing zone, shall meet the minimum conditions of being free from substances, materials, floating debris, oil, or scum attributable to municipal, industrial, agricultural, and other land use practices, or other discharges:

 

A.                 that will settle to form putrescent or otherwise objectionable deposits;

 

B.                 that are in amounts sufficient to be unsightly or deleterious

 

C.                that produce color, visible oil sheen, odor, or other conditions in such degree as to create a nuisance

 

D.                which are in amounts sufficient to be acutely toxic to, or to otherwise severely injure or kill aquatic life, other animals, plants, or humans; and

 

E.                 which are in concentrations or combinations that will cause or contribute to the growth of aquatic plants or algae to such a degree as to create a nuisance, be unsightly, or otherwise impair the designated uses.

 

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the discharge of leachate from the Site on or about February 6, February 9, and June 28, 2004, into Locust Creek, waters of the state, that was in an amount sufficient to be unsightly and deleterious, and that produced odor in such degree as to create a nuisance, in violation of 327 IAC 2-1-6(a)(1).

 

3.                  Pursuant to 327 IAC 2-6.1-7, any person who operates, controls or maintains any mode of transportation or facility from which a spill occurs shall, upon discovery of a reportable spill to the soil or surface waters of the state, contain the spill, if possible, to prevent additional spilled material from entering the waters of the state; undertake or cause others to undertake activities needed to accomplish a spill response; and as soon as possible, but within two hours of discovery, communicate a spill report to the Department of Environmental Management, Office of Environmental Response.

A reportable spill of leachate from the Site into Locust Creek, waters of the state, occurred on or about February 6, February 9 and
June 28, 2004, and was not properly contained and/or responded to and/or reported by the Respondents in violation of 327 IAC 2-6.1-7.

 

4.                  Pursuant to 327 IAC 5-2-2, any discharge of pollutants into waters of the state as a point source discharge, except for exclusions made in 327 IAC 5-2-4, is prohibited unless in conformity with a valid NPDES Permit obtained prior to the discharge.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the discharge of leachate, a pollutant, from the Site on or about February 6, February 9 and
June 28, 2004, into Locust Creek, waters of the state, without a valid NPDES permit, and without meeting any of the exclusions in 327 IAC 5-2-4, in violation of 327 IAC 5-2-2.

 

5.                  Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-2, no person shall cause or allow the storage, containment, processing, or disposal of solid waste in a manner which creates a threat to human health or the environment, including the creating of a fire hazard, vector attraction, air or water pollution, or other contamination.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the storage, containment or disposal of solid waste at the Site, creating a threat to human health and the environment.

 

6.                  Pursuant to 329 IAC 10-4-3, open dumping and open dumps, as those terms are defined in IC 13-11-2-146 and IC 13-11-2-147, are prohibited.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed solid waste to be open dumped at the Site.

 

7.                  Pursuant to IC 13-18-4-5, it is unlawful for any person to throw, run, drain, or otherwise dispose into any of the streams or waters of this state, or to cause, permit, or suffer to be thrown, run, drained, allowed to seep, or otherwise disposed into any waters, any organic or inorganic matter that causes or contributes to a polluted condition of any waters, as determined by a rule of the board adopted under Indiana Code 13-18-4-1 and Indiana Code 13-18-4-3.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the discharge of leachate, an inorganic matter, from the Site on or about February 6, February 9 and June 28, 2004, into Locust Creek, waters of the state, in violation of 327 IAC 2-1-6(a)(1), 327 IAC 2-6.1-7 and 327 IAC 5-2-2 and thus violated IC 13-18-4-5.

 

8.                  Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(1), no person may discharge, emit, cause, allow, or threaten to discharge, emit, cause, or allow any contaminant or waste, including any noxious odor, either alone or in combination with contaminants from other sources, into the environment or into any publicly owned treatment works in any form which causes or would cause pollution which violates or which would violate rules, standards, or discharge or emission requirements adopted by the appropriate board under the environmental management laws.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the discharge of leachate, a contaminant, into the environment from the Site on or about February 6, February 9 and June 28, 2004, in violation of 327 IAC 2-1-6(a)(1), 327 IAC 2-6.1-7 and 327 IAC 5-2-2 and thus violated IC 13-30-2-1(1).

 

9.                  Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(3), a person may not deposit any contaminants upon the land in a place and manner that creates or would create a pollution hazard that violates or would violate a rule adopted by one of the boards.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed solid waste to be deposited at the Site, in violation of 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 329 IAC 10-4-3, and thus violated IC 13-30-2-1(3).

 

10.             Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(4), a person may not deposit or cause or allow the deposit of any contaminants or solid waste upon the land, except through the use of sanitary landfills, incineration, composting, garbage grinding, or another method acceptable to the solid waste management board.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed solid waste to be deposited at the Site, in violation of 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 329 IAC 10-4-3, and thus violated IC 13-30-2-1(4).

 

11.             Pursuant to IC 13-30-2-1(5), a person may not dump or cause or allow the open dumping of garbage or of any other solid waste in violation of rules adopted by the solid waste management board.

The Respondents caused and/or allowed the open dumping of solid waste at the Site, in violation of 329 IAC 10-4-2 and 329 IAC 10-4-3, and thus violated IC 13-30-2-1(5).

 

In accordance with IC 13-30-3-3, the Commissioner is required to notify an alleged violator in writing that a violation may exist and offer an opportunity to enter into an Agreed Order providing for the actions required to correct the violations and for the payment of a civil penalty.  The Commissioner is not required to extend this offer for more than 60 days.

 

Entering into an Agreed Order will prevent the issuance of a Notice and Order of the Commissioner under IC 13-30-3-4, or the filing of a civil court action under IC 13-14-2-6.  IDEM encourages settlement by Agreed Order, thereby saving time and resources.  Timely settlement by Agreed Order may result in a reduced civil penalty.  Settlement discussions will also allow the opportunity to present any mitigating factors that may be relevant to the violations. In addition, as provided in IC 13-30-3-3, an alleged violator may enter into an Agreed Order without admitting that the violation occurred.

 

If settlement is not reached within 60 days of receipt of this Notice of Violation, the Commissioner may issue a Notice and Order containing the actions that must be taken to achieve compliance, the required time frames, and an appropriate civil penalty. Pursuant to IC 13-30-4-1, the Commissioner may assess penalties of up to $25,000 per day for each violation.

 

To discuss this matter further, please contact Barbara Goldblatt at 317 / 233 – 6335 or   1 / 800 – 451 – 6027  Ext. 3 - 6335 within 15 days after receipt of this Notice to request a conference.  If settlement is reached, an Agreed Order will be prepared and sent for review and signature.

 

 

 

 

For the Commissioner:

Date:

 

 

Signed on March 15, 2005

 

 

 

Matthew T. Klein

 

 

 

Assistant Commissioner for Compliance

 

 

 

& Enforcement

 

cc:       Vanderburgh County Health Department
http://www.state.in.us/idem