All News Releases By Date

 

EPA Seeks Penalties From Maine Military Authority for Air Violations in Limestone, Maine

Release Date: 07/20/04
Contact Information: Contact: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office (617-918-1008)

For Immediate Release: July 20, 2004; Release # 04-07-19

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it is seeking $194,500 in civil penalties from the Maine Military Authority for violations of the federal Clean Air Act at the Loring Commerce Center (the decommissioned Loring Air Force Base) in Limestone, Maine.

The complaint, filed by EPA's New England Office, alleges that the Maine Military Authority violated federal environmental laws between October 1997 and June 2003. Among the violations:

• failure to renew a state license for operating its nine boilers;
• failure to obtain a state license for two existing spray painting booths that have the potential to emit 67 tons a year of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and;
• failure to obtain a state permit for a new spray painting booth installed in 2000 that has the potential to emit 114 tons a year of VOCs.

VOCs contribute to smog pollution which, in turn, can lead to respiratory illnesses and asthma. The effects are often worst for children and other sensitive populations. Maine’s childhood asthma rate is over 10 percent.

“At a time when smog pollution and childhood asthma are pervasive problems, these kinds of violations need to be addressed,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office.

The Maine Military Authority, a part of the Maine Army National Guard, operates the Maine Readiness Sustainment Maintenance Center at the Loring Commerce Center. The authority maintains, rebuilds, stores and manufactures equipment for the U.S. Department of Defense at this site. A major portion of the work involves painting U.S. Army military vehicles with VOC- containing paints.
The complaint stems from an EPA inspection of the facility in 2002. Last year, the Maine Military Authority obtained the required state licenses and permits which spell out specific limits on VOC emissions. The MMA is no longer considered a major source of VOC emissions because the license limits emissions from the facility to 30 tons per year.

Related Information:
VOCs
Air Enforcement
Clean Air Act