EPA v. HARD CHROME INC

Case summary

Hard Chrome, Inc. (Hard Chrome) owns and operates a plating facility at 2631 Second Street Northeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota, where it conducts nickel electroplating. This Administrative Consent Order requires Hard Chrome to comply with the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Area Source Standards for Plating and Polishing Operations at 40 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart WWWWWW (Subpart 6W). Subpart 6W requires Hard Chrome to control emissions from its Acid Nickel electroplating tank by doing one of the following: 1) using a wetting agent/fume suppressant (WA/FS) in the bath of the tank; 2) capturing and exhausting emissions from the tank to a composite mesh pad, a packed-bed scrubber, or a mesh pad mist eliminator; or 3) covering the surface of the tank. Hard Chrome chose to add a WA/FS to the tank bath to comply with Subpart 6W. Subpart 6W requires that those sources that choose to use a WA/FS in the bath of their affected tanks must add the WA/FS in the amounts recommended by the manufacturer for that specific type of electrolytic process and maintain records of those additions. On November 13, 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a Finding of Violation to Hard Chrome alleging that it violated Section 112 of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. � 7412, and the implementing regulations at Subpart 6W by failing to maintain records of the amount and frequency of WA/FS that it added to the Acid Nickel tank, among other allegations no longer relevant. EPA discovered this violation during an inspection it conducted of the facility on August 22, 2013. To come into compliance, Hard Chrome will prepare annual certifications of compliance reports in accordance with Subpart 6W documenting that it added the WA/FS to the Acid Nickel tank according to the manufacturer�s specifications and instructions. Hard Chrome will also begin recording each addition of WA/FS.

Defendants (1)

• HARD CHROME INCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• HARD CHROME INC

  2631 2ND ST NE, MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 554182701

  Registry ID: 110000425629

Statutes cited

• CAA 112 — Hazardous Air Pollutants

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• HARD CHROME INCentered 2014-09-30

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2014-09-30Final Order Issued
• 2014-10-08Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2016-05-03Air Resolved