EPA v. National Steel and Shipbuilding Company

Case summary

This consent decree concerns violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by Coltec Industries Inc., (Coltec) and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). Coltec is a subsidiary of EnPro Industries Inc. and operates Fairbanks Morse Engine (FME), which supplies marine propulsion and ship service systems to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. NASSCO is a subsidiary of General Dynamics. NASSCO designs and builds support ships, oil tankers, and dry cargo carriers for the U.S. Navy and commercial markets. Coltec, through its subsidiary FME, manufactured over a period of 4 years 32 marine engines which were not covered by certificates of conformity issued by EPA. NASSCO installed these engines (four per ship) as the main diesel generators on eight United States Navy T-AKE class vessels. NASSCO also installed a total of 6 marine diesel engines on three other vessels (including the the product tankers BP Alaskan Adventurer and Golden Gate ). These uncertified engines do not comply with applicable emissions standards, resulting in the emission of excess pollutants. The CAA prohibits marine diesel engines from being sold in the U.S. unless the engines are covered by a certificate of conformity and have an EPA label indicating that the engine meets applicable emission standards. Engines that are not certified may be operating without proper emissions controls and emitting excess carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. These excess emissions can cause respiratory illnesses, aggravate asthma and contribute to the formation of ground level ozone or smog. As part of this settlement, Coltec and NASSCO have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $280,000 and to spend approximately $500,000 on an environmental project to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA’s marine diesel engine air rules. The project will significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from a testing stack at Coltec’s Beloit, Wis., engine manufacturing facility, improving air quality for residents. Coltec and NASSCO also agreed to attach the required EPA engine labels to 40 ship engines that were previously unlabeled or improperly labeled. For more information concerning this settlement see the settlement web page at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/coltec.html

Defendants (2)

• National Steel and Shipbuilding CompanyNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• Coltec Industries Inc.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• NATIONAL STEEL AND SHIPBUILDING (NASSCO)

  2798 EAST HARBOR DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92113

  Registry ID: 110014337413

• NATIONAL STEEL AND SHIPBUILDING (NASSCO)

  2798 EAST HARBOR DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92113

  Registry ID: 110014337413

Statutes cited

• CAA 203 — Prohibited Acts - Motor Vehicle & Motor Vehicle Engines
• CAA 213 — Non-road Engines & Vehicles

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• National Steel and Shipbuilding Companyentered 2012-05-23

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $280,000 · SEP: $500,000

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 2010-04-21Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2010-09-30Complaint Filed With Court
• 2010-10-08Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2012-03-28Final Order Lodged
• 2012-05-23Final Order Entered
• 2015-10-22Enforcement Action Closed