EPA v. GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP.

Case summary

FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION OF THE LOUSIANA-PACIFIC CORPORATION (LP), EPA BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION OF THE OTHER LEADERS IN THE WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE CAA. EPA'S INVESTIGATION OF THE GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORPORATION (GP) AT FIRST FOCUSED ON ITS ORIENTED STRAND BOARD (OSB) AND MEDIUM DENSITY FIBERBOARD (MDF) FACILITIES BUT WAS LATER EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PLYWOOD AND PARTICLEBOARD FACILITIES AS WELL AS SOME CHIP AND SAW AND STUDMILL FACILITIES. EPA HAS REVIEWED FACILITIES AT 26 LACATIONS USING EITHER CAA SECTION 114 INFORMATION REQUEST LETTERS OR INSPECTIONS BY EPA CONTRACTORS OR EPA PERSONNEL OR BOTH. AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, EPA FOUND THAT GP HAD FAILED TO OBTIAN PREVENTION OF SIGNINFICANT DETERIOATION (PSD) PERMITS AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 160-169A OF THE CAA, 42 U.S.C SECTION 7470-7479A, AT MANY OF ITS FACILITIES. FUNDAMENTAL TO GP'S FAILURE TO APPLY FOR PSD PERMITS WAS ITS FAILURE TO PROPERLY QUANTIFY VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC) EMISSIONS FROM PROCESS EQUIPMENT, PRIMARILY DRYERS AND PRESSES. AS A RESULT OF GP'S FAILURE TO APPLY FOR PSD PERMITS, REQUIRED POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED ON PROCESS EQUIPMENT AT THE VIOLATING FACILITIES. GP'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY VOC EMISSIONS ALSO ARE VIOLATIONS OF STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIP) PROVISIONS DEALING WITH GENERAL PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL SOURCES OF AIR EMISSIONS. A NOV WAS ISSUED TO GP ON 08/05/94 AND CONTAINS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GP'S VIOLATIONS OF THE CAA. EPA IS CONDUCTING A PARALLEL INVESTIGAITON OF THE WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY AT THIS TIME. THESE CASES, AND CASES THAT THE STATES AND REGIONAL OFFICES ARE UNDERTAKING AGAINST OTHER WOOD PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS, ARE COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS THE WOOD PRODUCTS INITIATIVE.

Defendants (1)

• GEORGIA-PACIFICNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (78)

• GEORGIA-PACIFIC WEST INCORPORATED

  HIGHWAY 49, MARTELL, CA, 95654

  Registry ID: 110001127575

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  47 SOUTH PETERMAN HIGHWAY 21, MONROEVILLE, AL, 36460

  Registry ID: 110046306252

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  HIGHWAY 28 WEST, TAYLORSVILLE, MS, 39168

  Registry ID: 110000590691

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  2457B OLD MOUNT OLIVE HIGHWAY, DUDLEY, NC, 28333

  Registry ID: 110039004779

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORP

  234 FOREST ROAD, SKIPPERS, VA, 23879

  Registry ID: 110002402720

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION MADISON PLYWOOD

  1400 WOODKRAFT RD., MADISON, GA, 306509115

  Registry ID: 110000358728

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  400 IRONATON ROAD, TALLADEGA, AL, 35160

  Registry ID: 110000366498

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  2457B OLD MOUNT OLIVE HIGHWAY, DUDLEY, NC, 28333

  Registry ID: 110039004779

• GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP PARTICLEBOARD

  US HWY 41 S, VIENNA, GA, 31092

  Registry ID: 110031002439

• GREAT SOUTHERN PAPER CO

  HWY 273 W, CEDAR SPRINGS, GA, 31732

  Registry ID: 110072233116

• GEORGIA PACIFIC PLYWOOD PLT

  RAILROAD AVE, GLOSTER, MS, 39638

  Registry ID: 110017414895

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  26 COUNTY ROAD 122, OXFORD, MS, 38655

  Registry ID: 110000590478

• GEORGIA PACIFIC RESINS INCORPORATED

  HWY. 82 & PAPERMILL RD., CROSSETT, AR, 71635

  Registry ID: 110043787499

• GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION

  400 IRONATON ROAD, TALLADEGA, AL, 35160

  Registry ID: 110000366498

• GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP PARTICLEBOARD

  US HWY 41 S, VIENNA, GA, 31092

  Registry ID: 110031002439

• …and 63 more

Statutes cited

• CAA 165 — Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP.entered 1996-07-16

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $6,000,000

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 1994-08-05Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1994-09-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1996-07-16Final Order Lodged
• 1996-07-16Final Order Entered
• 1996-07-16Complaint Filed With Court
• 1996-07-16Concluded