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EPA ORDERS LISBON, NH, TO SUBMIT MISSING DATA

Release Date: 04/04/1997
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office, (617) 918-1064

Boston - The New England office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the town of Lisbon, NH, to submit missing wastewater discharge monitoring data from the town's wastewater treatment plant within 14 days of receipt of an Administrative Order issued by the agency to the town.

The plant treats approximately 320,000 gallons of wastewater per day before discharging to the Ammonoosuc River. An Administrative Complaint filed against the town seeks a $9,000 penalty for failing to comply with requirements of the Clean Water Act.

According to EPA, the town failed to submit monthly "Discharge Monitoring Reports" (DMRs) to EPA and the NH Department of Environmental Services as required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Service permit held by the town for its treatment plant operations. Since October 1995, the town has failed to submit DMRs for all but two months. Reports that were submitted were not fully and correctly completed. In one month, the town reported exceedences of a chlorine levels higher that what the permit allowed.

In December, 1996, EPA requested that the town submit the missing and incomplete DMRs and to explain why discharge data was not submitted. Lisbon has not responded to the request.

The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of pollutants into navigable waterways of the United States without a permit. An NPDES permit sets limits on the amount and types of pollutants discharged, and establishes monitoring and reporting requirements.