EPA v. WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES, INC.

Case summary

ON 7/2/98, REGION 4 FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT DOJ ADD A CLAIM TO ITS PROPOSED COMPLAINT AGAINST WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES, INC., FOR ENFORCEMENT OF PART C OF SUBCHAPTER I OF THE CAA, THE PREVENTION OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION (PSD) PROVISIONS AT THE WILLAMETTE PLYWOOD FACILITY LOCATED NEAR CHESTER, SC. THE REGION PROPOSED EXTENSIVE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND A BOTTOM LINE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT OF $3,042,400. THE CURRENT DOJ CASE CONSISTS OF CAA, PSD VIOLATIONS AT 8 FACILITIES IN REGION 6. REGION 10 IS ALSO CURRENTLY PREPARING A REFERRAL, REQUESTING DOJ ASSISTANCE WITH CAA PSD VIOLATIONS AT SIX WILLAMETTE FACILITIES. WILLAMETTE IS AN OREGON CORP. THAT MANUFACTURES PLYWOOD, PARTICLE BOARD, AND MEDIUM DENSITY FIBERBOARD. THE COMPANY VIOLATED THE PSD REGULATIONS OF THE CAA BY FAILING TO OBTAIN THE PROPER PERMITS PRIOR TO MAKING MAJOR MODIFICATIONS AT ITS FACILITIES. AS A RESULT, WILLAMETTE FACILITIES ARE EMITTING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF CARBON MONOXIDE, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, NITROGEN OXIDES, AND PARTICULATE MATTER. WILLAMETTE MANUFACTURES PLYWOOD AT ITS CHESTER, SC, PLANT. THE COMPANY FAILED TO OBTAIN A PSD PERMIT PRIOR TO MAKING THREE MAJOR MODIFICATIONS. FOR THESE VIOLATIONS, THE REGION HAS CALCULATED A BOTTOM LINE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT OF $3,042,400. THE REGION IS ALSO REQUESTING THAT THE COMPANY OBTAIN APPROPRIATE PERMITS FOR EACH MODIFICATION, INSTALL AND OPERATE BEST AVAILABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY (BACT) ON EACH EMISSIONS UNIT, CONTROL FUGITIVE EMISSIONS, CONDUCT STACK TESTING, AND CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AN EXTENSIVE OPERATING, MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING PROGRAM.

Defendants (1)

• WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES, INC.Named in complaint

Facilities (1)

• WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED CHESTER DIVISION

  1445 LANCASTER HIGHWAY, CHESTER, SC, 29706

  Registry ID: 110016952421

Statutes cited

• CAA OTHER — Violations not covered elsewhere

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 1998-07-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1998-07-01Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2000-07-20Complaint Filed With Court
• 2001-10-25Concluded
• 2001-10-25Enforcement Action Closed