EPA v. FISCHER & PORTER CO.

Case summary

FISCHER & PORTER CO, INC.-BUCKS COUNTY, PA FILED 10/8/80, CIVIL ACTION #80-3900, US DIST CT FOR THE EASTERN DIST OF PA, COMPANY IS ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER FLOW & INDUSTRIAL PROCESS CONTROL EQUIPMNT AT ITS BUCKS COUNTY, PA PLNT. ACCRDNG TO THE COMPLAINT, THE COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING INDUSTRIAL WSTES INCLUDING TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE) & PERCHLOROETHYLENE (PCE) TO ENTER THE GRND & GRNDWTR BENEATH THE FACILITY & THE PUBLIC SEWER SYS, CONTAMINATING CERTAIN OUTLYING DRINKING WATER WELL. FROM 1947 TO THE PRESENT THE DEFENDANT DISPOSED OF TCE & PCE ON ITS PROPERTY & INTO THE SEWER CONNECTION, CAUSING CONTAMINAT'N OF THE GRNDWTR. TCE IS USED PRIMARILY AS A METAL DEGREASING AGENT & IS A TOXIN & CARCINOGEN. AS A TOXIN IT CAUSES LIVER & KIDNEY DAMAGE & CENTRAL NERVOUS SYS DISORDERS. IT IS CARCINOGENIC AFTER CHRONIC EXPOSURE. PCE IS USED PRIMARILY AS AN INDUSTRIAL SOLVENT & AS A DEGREASER. IT IS TOXIC TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM & IS CARCINOGENIC & BIOACCUMULATIVE. EPA WATR QUALITY CRITERIA FOR HUMANS FOR BOTH CHEM IS ZERO. MIGRATION OF CONTAMINANTS FROM SITE HAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING SEPT & OCT 1979, 7 PUBLIC DRINKING WTR WELLS OF THE HATBORO WATER AUTHORITY WERE CLOSED. THE TOWN CURRENTLY RELIES ON LMTD USE OF ALTERNATIVE WTR SUPPLIES. NGHBRING WARMINSTER HEIGHTS CAN'T AFFORD ALTERNATIVE WTR SUPPLIES. THE TOWN'S WELLS ARE W/IN 1600 FT OF THE DEFENDANTS WELLS, & LEVELS OF TCE EXCEED THE UPPER LMTS OF SAFE EXPOSURE TO THE CHEM BY HUMANS. SITE IS ON THE PROPOSED NPL.

Defendants (1)

• FISCHER & PORTER CO., INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• ABB AUTOMATION INC

  125 E COUNTY LINE RD, WARMINSTER, PA, 18974

  Registry ID: 110004833280

Statutes cited

• SDWA 1431 — Emergency Powers
• RCRA 7003 — Imminent Order: Solid or Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• FISCHER & PORTER COMPANYentered 1984-11-14

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1980-05-22Referred To Headquarters
• 1980-05-22Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1980-10-08Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1980-10-08Complaint Filed With Court
• 1984-11-14Final Order Lodged
• 1984-11-14Final Order Entered
• 1984-11-14Concluded