EPA v. CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF STATE PRINTING

Case summary

REGION IX REFERRED A CIVIL ENFORCEMENT CASE AGAINST CALIFORNIA'S OFFICE OF STATE PRINTING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, TO ADDRESS OPS'S NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT, CLEAN WATER ACT, AND RCRA. OSP IS AN OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT AND IS LOCATED IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AN AREA WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS SEVERE NONATTAINMENT FOR OZONE. OSP CURRENTLY OPERATES 30 LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESSES, ALL OF WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO AIR EMISSIONS FROM THE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINED IN THE INKS, FOUNTAIN SOLUTIONS, AND CLEANING SOLUTIONS. AIR EMISSIONS ALSO OCCUR FROM OSP'S IMPROPER STORAGE OF RAGS THAT ARE LADEN WITH USED INK AND SOLVENT. IN ADDITION TO THESE AIR EMISSIONS, OSP'S PRINTING OPERATIONS ALSO GENERATE LIQUID WASTES OF INK AND SOLVENT, WHICH ARE POURED INTO 55-GALLON DRUMS BEFORE MOVED TO OSP'S WASTE ACCUMULATION AREA. OSP'S CLEAN AIR ACT VIOLATIONS ARE BASED ON ITS FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH FOUR SIP RULES; SPECIFICALLY, OSP (I) FAILED TO OBTAIN PRECONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND APPLY THE BEST AVAILABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY TO 37 MODIFICATIONS, (II) FAILED TO OBTAIN OFFSETS FOR 19 OF THESE 37 MODIFICATIONS, (III) EXCEEDED THE VOC EMISSION LIMITS OF TWO SIP RULES FOR A TOTAL OF 308 DAYS OF VIOLATION, (IV) FAILED TO STORE VOC WASTE AND VOC-CONTAINING CLOTH AND PAPER IN CLOSED CONTAINERS, AND (V) FAILED TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED VOC RECORDS. AS THE EIGHT LARGEST VOC-EMITTING STATIONARY SOURCE IN THE AREA, OSP'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE RULES MEANS THAT IT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DETERIORATION OF THE AIR QUALITY IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY. THE CLEAN WATER ACT PART OF THIS CASE IS BASED ON OSP'S VIOLATION OF ITS NPDES PERMIT. FROM JULY 1993 THROUGH AUGUST 1995, OSP FAILED TO MONITOR ITS DISCHARGE INTO THE AMERICAN RIVER ON 20 OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, OSP EXCEEDED THE PERMIT'S EFFLUENT LIMITS FOR SUITABLE MATTER ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE RCRA PART OF THIS CASE IS BASED ON A JUNE 1996 INSPECTION OF AUSPICE FACILITY THAT UNCOVERED THE FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS: (I) FAILURE TO MAKE HAZARDOUS WASTE DETERMINATIONS, (II) FAILURE TO LABEL AND INSPECT ON-SITE HAZARDOUS WASTE CONTAINERS, (III) FAILURE TO SUBMIT A 1995 BIENNIAL REPORT AND 12 EXCEPTION REPORTS, (IV) FAILURE TO PROVIDE HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT TRAINING, AND (V) FAILURE TO EQUIP ITS ACCUMULATION AREA WITH EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. REGION IX SEEKS BOTH INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND A CIVIL PENALTY TO ADDRESS THESE VIOLATIONS. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ CLEAN AIR ACT PROGRAM: NANCY J. RUMRILL 415-744-1139 CLEAN WATER ACT PGORAM: JACQUELINE RIOS 415-744-1894 RCRA PROGRAM: JEAN DANIEL 415-744-2128

Defendants (1)

• CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF STATE PRINTINGNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (3)

• OFFICE OF STATE PUBLISHING

  344 N. 7TH ST, SACRAMENTO, CA, 95814

  Registry ID: 110000887425

• OFFICE OF STATE PUBLISHING

  344 N. 7TH ST, SACRAMENTO, CA, 95814

  Registry ID: 110000887425

• OFFICE OF STATE PUBLISHING

  344 N. 7TH ST, SACRAMENTO, CA, 95814

  Registry ID: 110000887425

Statutes cited

• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO
• CAA 113 — Clean Air Act
• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste
• CWA 402 — Clean Water Act
• CWA 308 — Information Request, Records, Entry
• RCRA 3008 — Res Conserv & Rec Act
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit
• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF STATE PRINTINGentered 2000-07-20

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $320,500

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1996-04-11Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1996-09-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2000-02-11Complaint Filed With Court
• 2000-07-17Final Order Lodged
• 2000-07-20Final Order Entered
• 2000-07-20Concluded
• 2001-03-30Enforcement Action Closed