EPA v. SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTER

Case summary

SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. MANUFACTURES VEHIC WHEELS IN ITS VAN NUYS, CA FACILITY. IT IS LOCATED IN A NONATTAINMENT AREA FOR OZONE WHICH HAS REC'D EXTENS FOR COMPLIANCE UNTIL 1987. SUPERIOR VIOLATED THE CA. STATE IMP- LEMENT. PLAN IN THAT THE COATINGS USED ON ITS WHEELS CONTAIN MORE VOLAT ORGANIC COMPOUNDS THAN ALLOWED BY S. COAST AIR Q. MGMT DIST (SQAQMD) RULE 1107. SUPERIOR HAS BEEN LISTED AS A SIGNIFICANT VIOLATOR IN CDS. A JOINT EPA/SCAQMD INSPECTION OF THE SUPERIOR FACILITY ON 12/5/84 FOUND THE COMPANY TO BE IN VIOLATION OF RULE 1107. EPA ISSUED A NOV ON 9/19/85. SUPERIOR HAS SUBMITTED TO REGION 9 A PROPOSED COMPLIANCE PLAN THAT WOULD BRING THE FACILITY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH SCAQMD RULE 1107 BY THE END OF 1986. COMPLIANCE WILL BE ACHIEVED EITHER BY CONVERSION OF THE COMPANY'S COATING PROCESSES TO LOW VOC COATINGS OR BY INSTALLATION OF ADD-ON EMISSIONS CONTROL TECHNOLOGY. ALUMINUM WHEEL PRODUCTION COMPRISES APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE OUTPUT OF THE FACILITY. THE ALUMINUM AND STEEL WHEELS AND SOME SPOKES ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTS TO WHICH COATINGS ARE APPLIED. LIQUID COATINGS ARE USED TO COAT MOST OF THE ALUMINUM WHEELS AND THE SPOKES. THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ARE SPRAY COATED WITH WATERBASE COAT- INGS ON AN AUTOMATIC ELECTROSTATIC SPRAY LINE, THEN MOVED BY CONVEYOR TO AN OVEN FOR CURING AT 400 DEGREES F. THE WHEELS ARE THEN MACHINED SO THAT MOST OF THE COATING IS REMOVED AND COLOR IS LEFT ON THE MIDDLE OR INTERIOR SECTIONS. THE WHEELS ARE RECLEANED, A FINAL CLEAR COAT IS APPLIED ELECTRO- STATICALLY, AND THEY ARE AGAIN CURED AT 400 DEGREES F. THE MAJORITY OF COATINGS IN USE IN THE PLANT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LIMITS OF RULE 1107. THE COMPLIANCE PLAN SUBMITTED BY SUPERIOR PROVIDES FOR THE FOLLOWING: SUPERIOR INTENDS TO CONVERT ITS EXISTING USAGE OF LIQUID CLEAR COAT TO POWDER COATING, ON AN INCREMENTAL SCHEDULE WHICH COULD CONVERT ALL CLEAR COAT USAGE TO POWDER CLEAR COAT BY DECEMBER 15, 1986. SUPERIOR ESTIMATES THAT THIS CONVERSION WILL SUFFICE TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE EQUIVALENCY PROVISION OF RULE 1107. CALCULATIONS SUP- PORTING THIS ESTIMATE HAVE NOT YET BEEN SUBMITTED TO EPA. HOWEVER, RECENT CONTACT WITH SUPERIOR SUGGESTS THAT THE SOURCE IS ALREADY HAVING DIFFICULTY MEETING ITS PROPOSED SCHEDULE, AND THAT ITS EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON THE CONVERSION TO POWDER AS A MEANS OF COMPLIANCE MAY BE QUESTIONABLE. REGION IX HAS REQUIRED SUPERIOR TO AMEND THIS SCHEDULE WITH PROVISION FOR AN ADD-ON CONTROL DEVICE IF NECESSARY TO REACH FINAL COMPLIANCE BY 12/15/86.

Defendants (1)

• SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONALNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED

  7800 WOODLEY AVE, VAN NUYS, CA, 91406

  Registry ID: 110001145617

• SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED

  7800 WOODLEY AVE, VAN NUYS, CA, 91406

  Registry ID: 110001145617

Statutes cited

• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards
• CAA 113 — Clean Air Act

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SUPERIOR INDUSTRIESentered 1987-01-21

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $32,000

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1986-03-31Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1986-06-25Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1986-06-30Complaint Filed With Court
• 1987-01-21Final Order Lodged
• 1987-01-21Final Order Entered
• 1987-01-21Concluded
• 1989-01-21Enforcement Action Closed