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EPA Proposes $178,578 Penalty Against Connecticut Firm for Violating Air Pollution Laws

Release Date: 10/02/2000
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a $178,578 penalty for federal air pollution violations allegedly committed by a Windsor, Conn., company that tests aircrafts parts.

According to a complaint issued today by EPA New England, Aerospace Testing Laboratory violated the Solvent Cleaning Standard, a federal regulation that limits toxic air emissions given off by machines that use solvents to clean grease and oil off of metal parts. According to the complaint, the company also failed to obey an earlier EPA order and failed to provide EPA with required information regarding its air emissions.

"Aerospace Testing Laboratory put the health of the environment and the public at risk by ignoring important federal regulations," said Mindy S. Lubber, Regional Administrator for EPA New England. "We are hopeful that this penalty and the company's recent contact with EPA's law enforcement team will keep Aerospace operating in a safe and legal manner."

According to the complaint, Aerospace was out of compliance with the Solvent Cleaning Standard from December 1997 to June 2000. The complaint said the company failed to comply with federal requirements for equipment design and operations, and for at least eight months from September 1999 to April 2000 emitted trichloroethylene (TCE) at twice the allowed emission rate. TCE can cause a variety of adverse health effects and its a probable human carcinogen.

The complaint said that Aerospace also violated an earlier EPA order requiring the company to comply with the Solvent Cleaning Standard by May 2000 and that the company failed for more than a month to provide required answers to an EPA demand for information.

Aerospace has removed the degreaser that was in violation in June 2000 and appears to be in compliance with the law. The Aerospace facility, located near the Connecticut River, tests aircraft parts for domestic and foreign defense contractors.