EPA v. GAINESVILLE REGIONAL UTILITIES

Case summary

THIS IS A PROPOSED CIVIL JUDICIAL ACTION AGAINST THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE'S REGIONAL UTILITIES (GRU) AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR VIOLATION OF THE EFFLUENT LIMITS OF THE NPDES PERMIT FOR GRU'S MAIN STREET PLANT. THE VIOLATIONS OCCURRED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1984 AND MAY 1989. THE PLANT IS CURRENTLY MEETING ITS CURRENT NPDES PERMIT LINITS, BUT EPA IS PLANNING ON ISSUING A REVISED PERMIT IN NOVEMBER 1989 WITH MORE STRINGENT LIMITS. CONSEQUENTLY, GRU IS PLANNING TO UPDGRADE THE MAIN STREET PLANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE MORE STRINGENT LIMITS. HOWEVER, GRU ESTIMATES THAT THE PLANT WILL NOT COMPLY WITH THE LIMITS IN THE CURRENT PERMIT DURING SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD. REGION IV IS SEEKING A CIVIL PENALTY OF $110,000 FOR PAST NPDES VIOLATIONS. THE REGION ALSO WANTS TO ENTER A CONSENT DECREE WITH A SCHEDULE FOR GRU TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION AND TO MEET INTERIM EFFLUENT LIMITS.

Defendants (2)

• FLORIDA, STATE OFNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• GAINESVILLE, CITY OFNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• GAINESVILLE REGIONAL UTILITIES

  MAIN STREET, GAINESVILLE, FL, 32601

  Registry ID: 110010758901

Statutes cited

• CWA 402 — Clean Water Act
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• GAINESVILLE, CITY OFentered 1990-09-27

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $120,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1984-12-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1989-09-22PRN Sent
• 1990-05-21Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1990-07-18Complaint Filed With Court
• 1990-09-27Final Order Lodged
• 1990-09-27Final Order Entered
• 1990-09-27Concluded
• 1994-01-06Enforcement Action Closed