EPA v. TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT AND WRANGELL PLANTS

Case summary

On February 9, 2018, DOJ lodged a consent decree with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, that resolves Clean Water Act violations by Trident Seafoods at its Sand Point and Wrangell processing facilities in Alaska. Seafood waste piles - comprised of bones, shells, and other organic materials that accumulate on the seafloor in the vicinity of the outfall - exceeded the one-acre zone of deposit limit in each facility's NPDES permit; the Sand Point facility's waste pile continues to exceed the one-acre limit by several acres. Other permit violations include failure to comply with permit requirements for waste conveyance, grind size, best management practices, and monitoring. As part of this settlement, Trident has agreed to remove the 3.47-acre waste pile at Sand Point, and has already altered operations at Wrangell to virtually eliminate solids discharges in the nearshore environment. Trident will also implement a state-of-the art screening system at Sand Point to reduce production of surface foam, conduct a third-party audit of its environmental monitoring system, and pay a penalty of $297,000. This settlement ensures compliance with NPDES permit requirements and water quality standards designed to protect the seafloor, the benthic community, and surrounding water quality.

Defendants (1)

• Trident Seafoods CorporationNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (8)

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

• TRIDENT WRANGELL

  641 SHAKES STREET, WRANGELL, AK, 99929

  Registry ID: 110041624141

• TRIDENT WRANGELL

  641 SHAKES STREET, WRANGELL, AK, 99929

  Registry ID: 110041624141

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - SAND POINT SHORE PLANT

  POPOF ISLAND, 229 MAIN STREET, SAND POINT, AK, 99661

  Registry ID: 110000707423

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• TRIDENT SEAFOODS CORPORATION - CONSENT DECREEentered 2018-05-08

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $297,000

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2014-09-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2014-10-02Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2018-02-09Final Order Lodged
• 2018-02-09Complaint Filed With Court
• 2018-05-08Final Order Entered