EPA v. WISCONSIN RAPIDS MILL - WATER QUALITY - ACO

Case summary

U.S. EPA Region 5 is issuing an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to Billerud Americas Corporation (Billerud), as successor-in-interest to Verso Corporation (Verso) to address violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA). On July 1, 2021, EPA issued a Notice and Finding of Violation (NOV/FOV) to Verso for violations at its pulp mill, located at 950 4th Avenue North, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The violations alleged in the NOV/FOV include exceedances of the opacity limitation at the Recovery Furnace 1 and 3 stack, the Recovery Furnace 2 stack, the Power Boiler 1 and 2 stacks, and failing to take required opacity readings. The facility?s pulp mill operations were discontinued on or about July 31, 2020 and have since remained idle. The facility was purchased by Billerud Americas Corporation on or about March 31, 2022. The ACO requires Billerud Americas Corporation to apply for revocation or removal of the violating emission units from its air permit, disable those emission units for which corrective actions were never fully completed, and for those same emission units, wait at least one year before reapplying for operating permits.

Defendants (1)

• WISCONSIN RAPIDS MILLNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• ND WQC LLC

  2811 5TH AVE N, WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI, 544958117

  Registry ID: 110000544233

Statutes cited

• CAA TITLE5 — Title V Permits
• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• WISCONSIN RAPIDS MILL - WATER QUALITY - ACOentered 2023-09-25

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (2 milestones)

• 2023-09-25Final Order Issued
• 2023-09-25Enforcement Action Data Entered