EPA v. PARISH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Case summary

DATA SHEET: * DEFENDANT: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, LA OWNS AND OPERATES SEVERAL WASTE- WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES. THE TWO FACILITIES IN RESERVE AND LAPLACE, LA ARE THE SUBJECT OF THIS REFERRAL. * VIOLATIONS: VIOLATION OF PERMIT EFFLUENT LIMITS HAS CONTINUED SINCE AT LEAST 1983. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AO INTERIM LIMITS, FAIL- URE TO ELIMINATE FREQUENT BYPASSING, POOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AND SCHEDULE VIOLATIONS OF AOS ARE NOTED AS VIO- LATIONS IN THIS REPORT. * PROPOSED RELIEF: SETTLEMENT IN THE FORM OF A CONSENT DECREE AND A MINIMUM CIVIL PENALTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $43,500. * RECENT CONTACT WITH DEFENDANT: A MEETING WITH THE CITY REPS WAS HELD ON FEB 10, 1987. * NATIONAL ISSUES: NATIONAL MUNICIPAL POLICY REQUIRES ALL CITIES TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACT NLT JULY 1, 1988. THIS MATTER WARRANTS ACTION TO MEET THAT DEADLINE. * * CASE SYNOPSIS: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH IS LOCATED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN SOUTHEASTERN LA. THE PARISH PRESENTLY HAS SIX FACILITIES SERVING THE PARISH'S SEWER NEEDS. THE TWO MAJOR FACILITIES RESERVE, AND LAPLACE, ARE THE MAIN SUBJECT OF THIS REFERRAL AND HAVE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THEIR PERMITS AND AOS. THE RESERVE FACILITY IS LOCATED 4,500 FEET NORTH OF US HGHWY 61 AND 3,000 FEET EAST OF GODCHAUX CANAL. THE LAPLACE FACILITY IS ON RIVER ROAD, ONE MILE SOUTH OF STATE HGHWY 636-3. NPDES PERMIT NO. LA0034487 AND LA0045136 AUTHORIZE THE DISCHARGE OF SPECIFIED QUALITIES AND QUANTITIES OF EFFLUENT TO A SWAMP SOUTH OF LAKE MAUREPAS AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, RESPECTIVELY. * TWO MINOR FACILITIES, CAMBRIDGE (LA54461) AND RIVER GLEN (LA55816) ARE DISCHARGING BUT WILL DIRECT THEIR FLOWS TO THE NEW LAPLACE FACILITY WHEN COMPLETE. THE CAMBRIDGE FACI- LITY IS PRESENTLY UNDER A STATE ORDER TO DIVERT THE FLOW TO THE NEW FACILITY BY NOV 30, 1988. * THE NEW REMAINING FACILITIES, WOODLAND, (LA64092, ISSUED 2-11-87) AND BELLE POINT (LA65951), ISSUED 3-21-87) ARE BRAND NEW PLANTS THAT THE PARISH RECENTLY ACQUIRED TO OWN AND OPERATE. THESE PLANTS HAVE ONLY 5 AND 10 HOMES ON LINE RESPECTIVELY. AT THIS TIME, THE EPA HAS NOT RECEIVED DMRS FOR EITHER OF THESE TWO PERMITS. * THE LITIGATION REPORT RECOMMENDS A CIVIL ACTION BE COM- MENCED AGAINST ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE CWA, 33 USC 1251 ET. SEQ. THE PARISH HAS FAILED TO OPERATE THE RESERVE AND LAPLACE WASTEWATER TREATEMENT FACI- LITIES IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR NPDES PERMITS ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 402 OF THE ACT, 33 USC SECTION 1342. THE ADMIN, PURSUANT TO SECTION 309 OF THE ACT, 33 USC SECTION 1319, MAY COMMENCE A CIVIL ACTION AGAINST THE PARISH FOR PERMIT VIOLATIONS. THIS REFERRAL SEEKS COMPLIANCE WITH THE CWA AND CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIO- LATION OF THE PERMITS AND ADMIN ORD

Defendants (2)

• PARISH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTISTNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• STATE OF LOUISIANANamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• RESERV OXID POND&LA PLACE SEWE

  332 GREENWOOD DR, LA PLACE, LA, 70068

  Registry ID: 110010773699

Statutes cited

• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• PARISH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTISTentered 1988-10-06

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $55,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1987-09-25Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1987-09-25Referred To Headquarters
• 1987-10-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-08-17Complaint Filed With Court
• 1988-10-06Final Order Lodged
• 1988-10-06Final Order Entered
• 1988-10-06Concluded
• 1991-08-29Enforcement Action Closed