EPA v. BROWNING-FERRIS INC.

Case summary

CASE SYNOPSIS: THIS ACTION IS AN ACTION AGAINST BFI TO ENFORCE THE CWA. AT ITS TRUCK MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN HOUSTON, TX, DEFENDANT HAS VIOLATED NUMERIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE NPDES PERMIT ISSUED TO DEFENDANT BY THE US EPA, REGION VI ON NOV. 16, 1979, WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF FEB 17, 1980. IN ADDITION TO VIOLATING PERMIT TERMS, DEFENDANT CONTINUED TO OPERATE AFTER EXPIRATION OF THE PERMIT WITHOUT HAVING APPLIED FOR A NEW PERMIT. FURTHER, DEFENDANT HAS DISCHARGED VIA TWO UN- PERMITTED STORMWATER OUTFALLS. * DEFENDANT SERVES THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY AS A REFUSE HAULER. THE FACILITY INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER IS AN OVERNIGHT PARKING AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR DEFENDANT'S REFUSE TRUCKS. THE TREATMENT PLANT FOR THIS FACILITY IS A PACKAGE UNIT CON- SISTING OF AN AERATION UNIT, A CLARIFICATION UNIT, AND A CHLORINE CONTACT UNIT. PRECEDING THE PACKAGE TREATMENT PLANT IS AN EQUALIZATION BASIN.

Defendants (1)

• BROWNING-FERRIS INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• BFI WASTE SYSTEMS OF NORTH AMERCIA

  8101 LITTLE YORK, HOUSTON, TX, 77016

  Registry ID: 110002371996

Statutes cited

• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO
• CWA 402 — Clean Water Act
• CWA 308 — Information Request, Records, Entry
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• BROWNING-FERRIS INC.entered 1989-06-07

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $104,000

Timeline (11 milestones)

• 1986-06-27Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1986-06-30Referred To Headquarters
• 1986-08-01Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1987-08-20Returned To Region
• 1987-11-20Rereferred
• 1989-05-05Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1989-06-07Final Order Lodged
• 1989-06-07Final Order Entered
• 1989-06-07Complaint Filed With Court
• 1989-06-07Concluded
• 1989-06-07Enforcement Action Closed