All News Releases By Date

Nev. facility cited for failing to maintain chemical risk plan

Release Date: 06/26/2006
Contact Information: Wendy Chavez, 415/947-4248, [email protected]

(San Francisco -- 06/26/2006) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled with Tronox LLC, formerly Kerr-McGee Chemical LLC, of Henderson, Nev. for failing to review and update by June 2004 its risk management plan for hazardous waste storage.

As part of a new enforcement policy, the EPA offered the company a reduced penalty after it acted quickly to update its risk management plan and pay the fine, and the facility presents a relatively low risk to the public. The company paid a $1,400 fine.

“This company has a responsibility to provide prompt and accurate information about the chemicals it is storing,” said Keith Takata, the EPA’s Superfund Division director for the Pacific Southwest. “Without this information, state and local emergency responders cannot be adequately prepared to protect communities in the event of a chemical release.”

The Clean Air Act requires a registered facility to include any new information in its risk management plan and update five years after submitting the plan. Due to changes in the law that went into effect April 2004, all registered facilities were required to update and resubmit their plans by June 21, 2004.

The EPA's regulations require all facilities using hazardous substances above specified threshold quantities to develop chemical risk management plans.

The plan must include an assessment of the potential effects of an accidental release, history of accidents over the past five years and employee training. The plan must also include an emergency response program that outlines procedures for informing the public and response agencies, such as the police and fire departments, in the event of an accident.