EPA v. HI-MILL MFG.

Case summary

SITE DESCRIPTION: THE HI-MILL MANUFACTURING SITE IS LOCATED AT 1704 HIGHLAND ROAD IN HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP, OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN. THE HI-MILL MANUFACTURING CO. OWNS AND CONTINUES TO OPERATE THE FACILITY. THE SITE IS BOUNDED TO THE NORTHWEST BY HIGHLAND ROAD (M-59) AND ON ALL OTHER SIDES BY THE HIGHLAND STATE RECREATION AREA, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (MDNR). THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY AND PAVED PARKING AREA OCCUPY APPROXIMATELY 4.5 ACRES OF LAND. THE AREA SURROUNDING THE SITE IS RURAL AND SPARSELY POPULATED, WITH THE NEAREST HOME LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2,000 FEET EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE SITE ALONG WATERBURY ROAD. HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP HAS LITTLE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND FEW MUNICIPAL SERVICES, AND MANY OF THE AREA RESIDENTS OBTAIN THEIR DRINKING WATER FROM RESIDENTIAL WELLS. TARGET POND, A MARSHY AREA OF APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 ACRES, IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET EAST OF THE SITE BUILDING. THE NORTH ARM OF WATERBURY LAKE IS APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET SOUTH OF THE SITE, AND WATERBURY LAKE ITSELF IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET SOUTH OF THE SITE. SITE HISTORY: HI-MILL BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 1946, FABRICATING COPPER-, ALUMINUM-, AND BRASS- TUBING PARTS AND FITTINGS. THE OPERATIONS CONSIST OF TWO MAIN PROCESSES: (1) ANODIZING (OR PICKLING ) TO BRIGHTEN METALS, AND (2) DEGREASING TO CLEAN THEM. PROCESS WASTEWATER, CONSISTING PRIMARILY OF WATER AND DILUTED ACID-BRIGHTENING SOLUTIONS, WAS DISCHARGED TO TWO LAGOONS LOCATED BEHIND THE BUILDING TO THE SOUTHEAST. A LARGER LAGOON (APPROXIMATELY 90 FT X 90 FT) WAS USED FROM 1946 UNTIL 1979. A SECOND, SMALLER LAGOON WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE FALL OF 1976 SOUTH OF THE EXISTING LAGOON, TO ACCEPT OVERFLOW FROM THAT LARGER LAGOON. THE LAGOONS WERE DESIGNED TO SERVE AS EVAPORATION BASINS ONLY; HOWEVER, WASTEWATER FROM THE TWO LAGOONS WOULD OVERFLOW FROM THE IMPOUNDMENT AREA AND DISCHARGE INTO TARGET POND DURING PEROIDS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. BETWEEN 1981 AND 1983, HI-MILL DISCHARGED WATER FROM THE LAGOONS THROUGH SPRAY NOZZLES LOCATED ATOP THE ROOF OF THE PRODUCTION FACILITY AND ALONG PORTIONS OF AN 8-FOOT FENCE WHICH SURRONDS THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY. BETWEEN 1979 AND 1980 (EXACT DATE UNKNOWN), DURING CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION TO THE FACILITY, A TRICHLOROETHYLENE-BASED SOLVENT DELIVERY LINE BETWEEN AN ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANK AND DEGREASING EQUIPMENT LOCATED IN THE NORTHEAST SECTION OF THE BUILDING WAS DAMAGED. AS A RESULT OF THE DAMAGE, APPROXIMATELY 250 GALLONS OF SOLVENT LEAKED FROM THE UNDERGROUND PRODUCT LINE. UPON DISCOVERY OF THE PRODUCT LOSS, THE DAMAGED UNDERGROUND PRODUCT LINE WAS REPLACED WITH AN ABOVEGROUND PRODUCT LINE. IN AUGUST 1982, THE MDNR INSTALLED SIX MONITORING WELLS ALONG THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN BOUNDARIES OF THE HI-MILL PROPERTY, WHICH SHOWED THAT THE FLOW OF WATER IN THE UPPER PERCHED UNIT WAS GENERALLY TOWARD THE TARGET POND/WETLAND AREA. GROUNDWATER SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM WELLS LOCATED NEAR THE SITE LAGOON WERE FOUND TO CONTAIN ELEVATED LEVELS OF COPPER, TOTAL CHROMIUM, ZINC, AND ALUMINUM. IN NOVEMBER 1983, FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY MDNR, HI-MILL REMOVED SLUDGE FROM THE LARGER LAGOON AND EXCAVATED SOILS LOCATED ALONG THE SIDES AS WELL AS APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT OF CLAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THAT LAGOON. THE LAGOON WAS THEN BACKFILLED. DURING 1988 THE OAKLAND COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SAMPLED AND ANALYZED PRODUCTION WELLS VARYING CONCENTRATIONS OF BENZENE AND TCE WERE FOUND IN THE NORTHEAST PRODUCT

Defendants (1)

• HI-MILL MFG.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• HI MILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY

  1704 HIGHLAND RD, HIGHLAND, MI, 48356

  Registry ID: 110001298854

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106A — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• HI-MILL MFG COentered 1995-05-25

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1993-03-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1993-12-13PRN Sent
• 1994-07-25Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1994-12-07Complaint Filed With Court
• 1995-05-25Final Order Lodged
• 1995-05-25Final Order Entered
• 1999-05-06Concluded
• 1999-05-24Enforcement Action Closed