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EPA fines Hunt Building Co. for Colo. stormwater pollution

Release Date: 12/27/2007
Contact Information: Darcy Oconnor 303-312-6392, [email protected] Lorraine Ross 303-312-6888, [email protected] Amy Clark 303-312-7014, [email protected]

(Denver, Colo., Dec. 27, 2007) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined and Hunt Building Co. of El Paso, Tex., has paid $39,000 for stormwater violations at the Buckley Housing Project on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo.

EPA inspections of the Hunt construction project during 2006 and 2007 revealed sediment loading into detention ponds that discharge into area waterways. Sediment was also observed on Buckley Road/Airport Boulevard. The EPA inspections found that stormwater inspections had not been conducted as frequently as required by the site permit.

Michael Risner, EPA Region 8 Legal Enforcement Director, said, “EPA is taking this action to prevent stormwater pollution and to deter future violations of federal laws designed to protect valuable water resources.”

Stormwater run-off can carry high levels of pollutants such as sediment, oil and grease, suspended solids, nutrients, and heavy metals into waterways.

EPA found that Hunt’s stormwater pollution prevention plan did not adequately describe the best management practices that would be implemented at the site and did not contain all of the required information as outlined in the permit including total area of soil disturbance, best management practices being implemented and an updated sequence of activities.

EPA and City of Aurora inspections revealed that numerous best management practices were not in place or were not being maintained. This lack of best management practices resulted in the cited sediment loading.

EPA took this action because it retains authority to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program at federal facilities in Colorado.

For more information, go to the EPA web page: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/index.html

Help EPA protect our nation's land, air and water by reporting violations: https://www.epa.gov/tips/