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Temple University Voluntarily Self-Audits and Discloses Environmental Violations at 10 Campuses - Self Disclosure Results from EPA’s Compliance Assistance Efforts with Colleges and Universities

Release Date: 5/1/2003
Contact Information: Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

Donna Heron, 215-814-5113

PHILADELPHIA – The mid-Atlantic regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Temple University has reported and corrected a variety of environmental management violations at its main campus and satellite facilities.

The university found the violations during a comprehensive environmental self-audit conducted in response to EPA’s colleges and universities initiative. The initiative was designed to help colleges and universities understand their obligations under environmental laws and regulations.

“EPA’s self-audit policy helps institutions like Temple University protect the environment by recognizing violations and taking action to correct them,” said EPA Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh.

Under EPA’s self-disclosure policy, Temple University has saved $285,200 in penalties by voluntarily reporting and correcting its own environmental violations. Temple University started auditing its facilities in January, 2000 and concluded the process in March 2001.

EPA established its college and university initiative in 1999 because many institutions of higher learning were not aware of their responsibilities under various environmental laws, or had failed to implement strategies to comply with these laws. In addition to inspections and appropriate enforcement actions, this initiative held free workshops to help colleges and universities comply, and established a web site that provides information about their duties under the law.

In EPA’s mid Atlantic region, 12 colleges and universities have been inspected since 1999. Four of the schools wre found to have good overall compliance – Howard University, Washington, D.C.; The U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.; and the University of Delaware, Newark, Del.

Eight inspections resulted in enforcement actions at University of DC, Washington, D.C.; Delaware State University, Dover, Del.; Marshall University, Huntingdon, W. Va.; Lincoln University, Oxford, Pa.; Villanova University, Villanova, Pa.; George Washington University, Washington, D.C.; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.; and the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.

EPA will continue to monitor environmental compliance at other colleges and universities.

During an internal multi-phased environmental audit, Temple University uncovered violations at its main campus, Temple Ambler, the Health Sciences Center, Tyler School of Art, Episcopal Division of Temple University Hospital, Jeanes Hospital, Lower Bucks Hospital, Neumann Medical Center, Temple Continuing Care Center and Sugarloaf Conference Center.

The following violations were discovered and corrected:

– Failure to have a risk management plan in place for chlorine used and stored at the main campus swimming pools.

– Operating three gas-fired burners without a permit at Sugarloaf.

– Failure to prepare a spill prevention control and countermeasure plan to prevent and minimize oil spills, as required by the Clean Water Act, at main campus, Health Science Center, Temple Ambler, Episcopal Division, Jeanes Hospital, Lower Bucks Hospital, Neumann Medical Center, and Temple Continuing Care Center.

– Failure to have sufficient preparedness and prevention equipment, and appropriate contingency plans, as well as submitting biennial reports for hazardous waste for its main campus, Tyler and Health Science Center.

– Failure to implement appropriate emergency response procedures at Tyler, failure to conduct and document weekly inspections at Health Sciences Center, and failure to properly label a hazardous waste storage container at the main campus.

– Failure to compile an annual log of polychlorinated biphenyls at the main campus.

EPA determined that Temple University qualified for penalty waivers under the agency’s audit policy. The policy substantially reduces, and often eliminates, penalties for violations discovered and corrected by a company or institution. The policy does not cover criminal violations, or violations resulting in significant harm to public health or the environment. EPA will also not waive penalties covering any economic benefit created by past violations.

EPA’s audit policy is posted at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing/auditpolicy.html..

For more information on environmental audits and compliance assistance, visit www.epa.gov/reg3ecej.

Temple University’s campus locations:

Temple University Main Campus
1801 North Broad St.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19122

Temple University
Health Sciences Center
3300 North Broad St.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19140

Tyler School of Art
7725 Penrose Ave.
Elkins Park, Pa. 19027

Temple University
Ambler Campus
580 Meetinghouse Rd.
Ambler, Pa. 19002-3999

Episcopal Division
Temple University Hospital
100 Lehigh Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19125

Jeanes Hospital
7600 Central Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19111-2499

Lower Bucks Hospital
501 Bath Rd.
Bristol, Pa. 19007

Neumann Medical Center
1741 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa.19125

Temple Continuing Care Center
5301 Old York Rd.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19141

Sugarloaf Conference Center
9230 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa. 19118