EPA v. CITY OF UNALASKA, ALASKA, AND THE STATE OF ALASKA

Case summary

The City of Unalaska, Alaska (City) has agreed to pay a $340,000 penalty to settle violations of the NPDES permit issued to the City for discharges from the City's wastewater treatment facility. This enforcement action was resolved through a judicial consent decree pursuant to Clean Water Act section 309(b) which requires the City to construct a $14M plant upgrade by December 2015. The facility is part of a sanitary sewer system that receives domestic wastewater from residential and commercial sources and discharges into South Unalaska Bay. Between October 2004 and September 2011, the facility had more than 5,500 effluent limit violations of its NPDES permit. The facility exceeded limits for fecal coliform bacteria, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, flow, hydrocarbons and total residual chlorine.

Defendants (2)

• The State of AlaskaNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• City of Unalaska, AlaskaNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• UNALASKA WW TREATMENT FACILITY

  CITY OF UNALASKA, UNALASKA, AK, 99685

  Registry ID: 110055981371

• UNALASKA WW TREATMENT FACILITY

  CITY OF UNALASKA, UNALASKA, AK, 99685

  Registry ID: 110055981371

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• CITY OF UNALASKA, ALASKA, AND THE STATE OF ALASKA - CONSENT DECREEentered 2012-07-03

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $340,000

Timeline (9 milestones)

• 2009-09-25Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2009-09-29Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2011-06-23Complaint Filed With Court
• 2012-05-10Final Order Lodged
• 2012-07-03Concluded
• 2012-07-03Final Order Entered
• 2013-01-22Supplemental Referral to DOJ for Consent Decree Enforcement-Sent
• 2013-03-07Demand for Stipulated Penalties
• 2013-03-07Send Demand Letter