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Press Advisory

Release Date: 10/28/2003
Contact Information: DAWN HARRIS-YOUNG (404)562-8421

EPA Issues Consent Agreement and Final Order against City of Alexander City Lights & Power in Alexander City, Alabama The Environmental Protection Agency issued a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) against the City of Alexander City Lights & Power in Alexander City, Alabama for alleged violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The City of Alexander had 1 pole-top transformer and 10 voltage regulators stored without documentation as to when they were placed into storage and as to their future use at three separate locations. Additionally, the City of Alexander failed to incinerate PCB liquids at concentrations more than 50 parts per million (ppm) which leaked from three voltage regulators as required per TSCA. Under the terms of the CAFO, the City of Alexander City Lights & Power has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $9,157 and to complete a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) at an estimated of $39,259. The SEP consists of conducting PCB training to the electric cities of Alabama membership and developing PCB management manuals. EPA Issues a Consent Agreement and Final Order against West Point Stevens, Inc. - Grifftex Chemicals in Opelika, Alabama for alleged violation of the Toxic Substance and Control Act The Environmental Protection Agency issued a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) against West Point Stevens, Inc. - Grifftex Chemicals in Opelika, Alabama for alleged violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). West Point Stevens failed to submit a notice of commencement (NOC) to EPA for the manufacture of a new chemical intended for commercial purpose within 30 days after manufacturing the chemical. The TSCA requires that a NOC be submitted by industries that begin manufacture or import of a new chemical for commercial purpose no later than 30 days after producing the first commercial quantity of the chemical. Under the terms of the CAFO, West Point Stevens agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,650. EPA to Hold National Dialogue for Public Comment on the "Draft Report on the Environment" EPA's Office of Environmental Information, Office of Research and Development and EPA' regional office will conduct a national dialogue session with stakeholders to solicit feedback on the "Draft Report on the Environment," issued June 23. The session in Atlanta, one of five held around the country, will be held on November 13, 2003. This report is the first national picture of U.S. environmental conditions and health across five key areas: air, water, land, human health and ecosystems. EPA will invite representatives from federal, state and local government, tribes, academia, non-governmental organizations and private industry. Interested citizens will have an opportunity to provide comments during each meeting. For more information, go to the Federal Register notice at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont03.html and click on Oct. 15th. To obtain a copy of the report or to submit comments online, go to: EPA's Indicators website at: https://www.epa.gov/indicators/ . Stop-sale Order Issued to Atlanta Company EPA has ordered ZEP Manufacturing Co., Atlanta, Ga., to stop selling misbranded pesticides, ZEP Amine A and ZEP Attack-A. The labels claim that the pesticides are hospital disinfectants effective against the pathogenic organism, pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both products failed government lab tests on efficacy requirements for a hospital disinfectant. Products claiming to prevent, destroy or repel pests including microorganisms, are considered pesticides under the Fungicide, Insecticide, and Rodenticide Act, the Federal pesticide law, and are subject to truthful labeling requirements. EPA has requested that the company conduct a voluntary recall and the Agency will monitor compliance with the stop-sale order and the recall. Georgia Plant, Employees Indicted On Clean Water Act Charges The indictment of Griffin Industries Inc., which operates a rendering plant in East Dublin, Ga., and five present or former employees, Thomas A. Griffin, Ricky A. Elrod, Douglas J. Spritzky, Gregory E. Oxley and Steven K. Horne, was announced on Oct. 20. They were charged with conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act (CWA) and five counts of illegally discharging pollutants in violation of the CWA. The indictment alleges that between September 1999 and July 2003, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to operate Griffin Industries' rendering plant in a manner that caused pollutants to be discharged into Bay Branch Creek which empties into the Oconee River. Discharging rendering plant pollutants into surface waters can be harmful to fish, aquatic life and wildlife and can also make those waters unsuitable for recreational and drinking water purposes. If convicted on all counts, Griffin Industries faces a maximum fine of up to $500,000 on each count. The individual defendants each face a maximum penalty under the conspiracy count of up to five years in prison, a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison on each count of illegal discharge, and/or a fine of up to $250,000 on each count, if convicted. The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division (Atlanta) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Agency. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Savannah. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.