EPA v. GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY

Case summary

GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY ( GRDA ), AN AGENCY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, RECEIVED APPROVAL TO CONSTRUCT A 520-MEGWATT, COAL-FIRED ELECTRIC GENERATING UNIT ON APRIL 9, 1982. THE UNIT, KNOWN AS UNIT 2, IS LOCATED AT GRDA'S CHOUTEAU, OKLAHOMA SITE. DURING THE CONTRACTOR'S GURANTEED PERFORM- ANCE TESTING OF UNIT 2 IN AUGUST 1986, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH HIGH SPEED JOURNAL BEARING IN THE ATOMIZER MACHINES IN THE FUEL GAS DESALFURIZATION SYSTEM ( FGDS ). ACCORDING TO GRDA, SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMTS WERE MADE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE CONTRACTOR CONCLUDED THAT ALL ATOM- IZER MACHINES IN THE FGDS WERE ON THE VERGE OF CATACLYSMIC FAILURE AND THAT ALL THE ATOMIZER MACHINE WOULD HAVE TO BE C COMPLETELY REBUILT. THE EFFORT REQUIRED THAT FGDS BE SHUT- DOWN. GRDA REQUESTED A VARIENCE FOR SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSION FROM OKLAHOMA AIR QUILITY SERVICE ( OAQS ) THAT WOULD PERMIT UNIT 2 TO OPERATE WHILE THE FGDS WAS SHUT-DOWN. ON DECEMBER 1,1986, THE OKLAHOMA AIR QUILTY SERVICE ( OAQS ) APPROVED A CONSENT ORDER FOR GRDA WHICH PERMITTED GRDA TO OPERATE UNIT 2 AT FULL CAPACITY WITH THE FGDS OUT OF SERVICE AND PLACED GRDA ON A COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE. GRDA OPERATED UNIT 2 FROM DECEMBER 2,1986 THROUGH DECEMBER 17, 1986 AND FROM DECEMBER 27,1986 THROUGH FEBRUARY 20,1987, WITHOUT A FULLY OPERATIONAL FGDS. AT THOSE TIMES WHEN GRDA OPERATED UNIT 2 WITHOUT A FULLY OPERATIONAL FGDS, IT VIOLATED 40 C.F.R. S60.43A (A), WHICH REQUIRES CONTINUOUS REDUCTIONS OF SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS. GRDA HAS OPERATED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIRE- MENTS OF 40 C.F.R. S60.43A(A) SINCE FEBRUARY 20, 1987. EPA THEREFORE, PROPOSE TO COLLECT A PENALTY FROM GRDA FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT IT OPERATED OUT OF COMPLIANCE.

Defendants (1)

• GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY UNIT 1

  HWY 33 E OF TOWN, CHOUTEAU, OK, 74337

  Registry ID: 110000598489

Statutes cited

• CAA 111 — New Source Performance Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITYentered 1988-05-26

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $10,000

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1987-03-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1987-09-25Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-05-19Complaint Filed With Court
• 1988-05-26Final Order Lodged
• 1988-05-26Final Order Entered
• 1988-05-26Concluded
• 1990-06-05Enforcement Action Closed