EPA v. SUPERIOR CHROME PLATING COMPANY

Case summary

THE DEFENDANT IN THE PROPOSED CIVIL ACTION IS SUPERIOR CHROME PLATING COMPANY. SUPERIOR OWNS AND OPERATES AN ELECTR OPLATING FACILITY LOCATED IN COMPTON, CA. THE FACILITY DIS- CHARGES PROCESS WASTEWATER INTO THE JOINT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT (JWPCP) OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTS (LACSD) WHERE IT IS TREATED PRIOR TO BEING DISCHARGED INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. SUPERIOR IS NOT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN NPDES (NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM) PERMIT FOR ATHE PLANT BECAUSE IT DISCHARGES INTO A PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW). AS AN INDUSTRY WHICH DISCHARGES INTO A POTW, SUPERIOR IS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE PRETREATMENT REQUIREMENTS OF SEC 307 OF THE CWA, 33 U.S.C. 1317. THE BASELINE MONITORING REPORT (BMR) SUPERIOR SUBMITTED TO LACSD INDICATES THAT SUPERIOR IS DISCHARGING HEAVY METALS INTO THE JWPCP IN EXCESS OF THE PRETREATMENT STANDARDS FOR E EXISTING ELECTROPLATING FACILITIES. 40 C.F.R. 413. CHEMI- CAL ANALYSES PERFORMED ON SUPERIOR'S DISCHARGE CONFIRMED THE OCCURRENCE OF EFFLUENT VIOLATIONS FOR CADMIUM, CHROMIUM, ZINC, AND CYANIDE. THE MOST FLAGRANT VIOLATIONS WERE FOR THE DISCHARGE OF CONSISTENTLY HIGH LEVELS OF CADMIUM AND CYANIDE THE DEADLINE FOR ACHIEVING FINAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRETREA TMENT STANDARDS WAS 04/27/84. IN ITS BMR, SUPERIOR INITIALLY PROJECTED IT WOULD NOT ACHIEVE FINAL COMPLIANCE UNTIL 04/19 85. AT A 06/21/85 MEETING WITH LACSD, A SUPERIOR CONSULTANT INDICATED THAT THE APRIL 19TH COMPLIANCE DATE HAD NOT BEEN MET. NO NEW COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE HAS BEEN SET. THE RELIEF SOUGHT IN THE PROPOSED ACTION IS AN ORDER REQUIRING COMPLIANCE WITH THE ELECTROPLATING PRETREATMENT STANDARDS, STIPULATED PENALTIES IF FURTHER VIOLATIONS OCCUR, AND PAYMENT OF AN APPROPRIATE CIVIL PENALTY.

Defendants (1)

• SUPERIOR CHROME PLATING COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SUPERIOR CHROME PLATING CO# (BARKEN'S HARD CHROME)

  239 E GREENLEAF, COMPTON, CA, 90220

  Registry ID: 110002631554

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/307 — Effluent Limitations - NPDES Toxic & Pretreatment Effluent Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SUPERIOR CHROME PLATING CO.entered 1988-02-28

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $31,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1985-06-19Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1985-08-20Referred To Headquarters
• 1985-09-16Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1985-12-03Complaint Filed With Court
• 1988-02-28Final Order Lodged
• 1988-02-28Final Order Entered
• 1988-02-28Concluded
• 1989-02-19Enforcement Action Closed