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TROY, NH, FABRIC MAKER AGREES TO PAY $75,000 AND PERFORM POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSESSMENT

Release Date: 12/22/1999
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON - In an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a fabric manufacturer in Troy, NH, has agreed to pay $75,000 and perform a pollution prevention assessment to settle charges by EPA that it failed to monitor its water discharges and falsified reports submitted to EPA.

According to EPA's March 31 complaint, Troy Mills Inc. did not monitor the cooling water that it discharges into the Ashuelot River for 23 months between December 1995 and October 1997, as it was required to do monthly under its discharge permit. In addition, EPA alleged the company falsified reports submitted to EPA for 19 of those 23 months.

Under the agreement signed this week, Troy Mills will pay $10,239 to perform a pollution prevention assessment of its drummed and liquid waste, which is generated by the dyeing and coating of fibers.

EPA became aware of the violations after receiving a letter from Troy in October 1997 saying reports had not yet been submitted for the preceding 23 months. In fact, EPA files contained reports for 19 of those months, but inspectors found that reports from January 1996 through the next June were identical to the report of December 1995, with only the date changed.

"Troy Mills failed to monitor discharges, and then added insult to injury by misrepresenting data in reports to the federal government," said John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England Administrator. "We hope that the company has learned its lesson, and that the assessment will help both the company and the environment by reducing the pollution generated at the facility."