EPA v. U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS

Case summary

US WEST COMMUNICATIONS ( US WEST ) OWNS AND OPERATES EIGHT ENGINE-GENERATORS IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. FOUR ENGINE- GENERATORS WERE INSTALLED IN 1980, TWO IN 1983 AND A FINAL PAIR IN 1989. THE ENGINE-GENERATOR COMPLEX IS A MAJOR STATIONARY SOURCE OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND NITROGEN OXIDES LOCATED IN A CARBON MONOXIDE NONATTAINMENT AREA. US WEST HAS CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED ENGINE-GENERATORS 1-6 IN VIOLATION OF STATUTORY AND REGULATORY PROVISION OF THE PREVENTION OF SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION OF AIR QUALITY (PSD) FOUND AT 40 C.F.R. SECT. 52.21, & THE STATUTORY RESTRICTION ON NEW SOURCES IN NONATTAINMENT AREAS (NEW SOURCE REVIEW OR NSR), FOUND AT 40 C.F.R. SECTION 52.24. US WEST HAS ALSO INSTALLED ENGINE-GENERATORS 7 & 8 AN VIOLATION OF PSD AND POSSIBLY NSR REQUIREMENTS. EPA SEEKS INJUNCTIVE RELIEF TO RELIEF TO ORDER US WEST EITHER TO COMPLY WITH PSD AND NSR REQUIREMENTS OR RESTRICT THEIR POTENTIAL EMISSIONS TO ESCAPE PSD AND NSR APPLICABILITY. EPA ALSO SEEKS A PENALTY FOR THE PAST VIOLATIONS.

Defendants (1)

• U.S. WESTNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• US WEST PLAZA CAMPANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPLEX

  400 TIJERAS AVE, NW, ALBUQUERQUE, NM, 871023256

  Registry ID: 110001553569

Statutes cited

• CAA 113 — Clean Air Act

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• US WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC.entered 1995-11-22

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $78,000

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1989-07-20Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1990-01-02Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1995-11-22Final Order Lodged
• 1995-11-22Final Order Entered
• 1995-11-22Complaint Filed With Court
• 1995-11-22Concluded
• 1995-12-21Enforcement Action Closed