EPA v. SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS & MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON LLC (WP STEEL VENTURE, LLC)(NC)

Case summary

On July 17, 2014 Chief Judge John Preston Bailey of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia issued Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law finding Mountain State Carbon liable for 27 particulate emission violations, and 908 hydrogen sulfide exceedances under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The Court dismissed all of the RCRA counts. The Court ordered Mountain State Carbon to install and utilize an automated system that tracks the charging of the coke ovens with COMs data to identify ovens that are causing opacity violations. The Court further ordered EPA and Mountain State Carbon to retain (and separately pay for) the coke oven experts each side used at trial to inspect the coke ovens and prepare a report to the Court indicating which ovens, if any should be replaced or repaired. This report is due October 15, 2014. Despite awarding the United States over $2.4 million for the Clean Air Act violations, the Court several times took unwarranted swipes at EPA witnesses, finding them to be mistaken or not credible. The Court also ruled against EPA on several areas of law, on which there is likely a legitimate basis for appeal: 1) The Court's interpretation of CAA Method 9; 2) the CAA credible evidence rule, 3) the calculation for the Clean Air Act penalty wherein the Court elected to use the stipulated penalty amount from a still open Consent Decree as the basis for the penalty, 4) the RCRA legitimate recyling doctrine. The United States has 60 days in which to file an appeal in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Defendants (2)

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBONE, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (20)

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS POINT (R G STEEL LLC)

  1430 SPARROWS POINT BLVD, SPARROWS POINT, MD, 21219

  Registry ID: 110035428551

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON, LLC

  WV STATE ROAD 2, FOLLANSBEE, WV, 26037

  Registry ID: 110042081939

• …and 5 more

Statutes cited

• CAA 502 — Operating Permits (Title V)
• CAA 111 — New Source Performance Standards
• CAA 112[R][7] — Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs)
• RCRA 9006A — Underground Storage Tanks Compliance Order
• RCRA 3003 — Standards Applicable to Transporters of Hazardous Waste
• CAA 112R — General Duty/Accidental Release
• RCRA 3004 — Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Standards
• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste
• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (2)

• SEVERSTAL STEEL SPARROWS & MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON LLC (WP STEEL VENTURE, LLC)(NC)entered 2013-08-02

  Primary law: CAA

• MOUNTAIN STATE CARBON LLC (WP STEEL VENTURE, LLC)(NC)(LEAD)entered 2014-08-21

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $2,408,400

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 2012-11-27Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2012-11-27Complaint Filed With Court
• 2013-05-30Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2014-08-21Final Order Entered
• 2014-08-21Final Order Lodged
• 2014-08-21Concluded