Enforcement News

Cal/EPA Enforcement Orders | U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance (Region 9) News | News Archive

Below are links to press releases and new articles about environmental enforcement.

May 2008

Building Material Supplier Settles with ARB for $42,000 http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr050108.htm

ARB Fines Crown Disposal Company $88,000
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr050508.htm

April 2008

ARB posts record year for enforcement
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr042108.htm

Mex-Cal Truckline settles air quality violations for $50,000
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr041708.htm

Pepsi Bottling Group Transporter Settles for $280,125
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr040708.htm

March 2008

DTSC Announces $285,000 Settlement with Trident Plating http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/News_2008_T_04_08.pdf

Air quality violations cost Central Coast businesses $57,500
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr031908.htm

EPA fines Southern California technology company $208,000 for 'nano coating' pesticide claims on computer peripherals

February 2008

Victorville's Hartwick & Hand, Inc. settles with ARB for $31,125 http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr022508.htm

ValleyCrest Companies settle for $65,000
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr022208b.htm

San Bernardino's C.K. Transport and VRGS Trucking settle with ARB
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr021408c.htm

State Imposes Penalties on City of Cerritos: City program fails to adequately implement waste diversion program
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Pressroom/2008/February/04.htm

California Supreme Court Upholds Water Board Action to Protect the Delta Largest Penalty to Date for Illegal Water Diversions in the Delta
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/press/docs/2008/08_003.pdf

January 2008

Growers Assessed Monetary Penalties - Enforcement Stepped Up In Central Valley Water Board's Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralvalley/water_issues/irrigated_lands/hot_news/

Yamaha agrees to $2 million settlement with ARB for importing roughly 400 uncertified motorcycles into California
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr012408.htm

December 2007

Pep Boys pays $154,000 for air violations
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr122707.htm

Wal-Mart pays $250,000 to settle air quality violations
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr121907.htm

DTSC Investigation Reveals Excessive Lead in Children's Jewelry
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/News_2007_T_23_2007.pdf

ARB Settles with San Joaquin Valley's Todd Plumbing, Inc.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr121107.htm

November 2007

Los Angeles County Sanitation District in Lancaster and Palmdale Pay $4.75 Million in Water Quality Settlement Agreement
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/lahontan/press/pn_lacsd_112907.pdf

Enforcement Action Taken Against Gas Station for Violating Environmental Protection Standards
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/press/docs/2007/07_017.pdf

ARB Settles with Waste Management for over $1 million http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr112007.htm

California Department of Toxics Substances Control Fines United Airlines $85,000 for Hazardous Waste Violations http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/News_2007_T_22_2007.pdf

Cargill Salt has agreed to pay $228,000 (Mercury News) --to settle charges that it violated state water pollution laws last year after spilling 218,000 gallons of toxic brine into the marshes along San Francisco Bay near Fremont.

Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos (Times-Standard) -- announced Tuesday that his office is filing a civil complaint against a Santa Rosa-based auto dismantler after oils leaked from its crusher while crushing cars in Rio Dell last year.

October 2007

County gets serious about waste (The Bakersfield Californian) -- In 2000, the Kern County District Attorney's office sued the company for taking in potassium hydrosulfide, a hazardous compound used in connection with oil drilling, without the required permit.

Home Depot agrees to pay $9.9 million to settle suit (Mercury News)-- The settlement is one of the largest of its kind in the United States against a big-box retail store chain for violations of hazardous materials and waste laws and state fire regulations.

U.S. EPA fines frozen vegetable supplier $31,434 over ammonia release violations Pictsweet failed to notify authorities after chemical release (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Region 9)

September 2007

U.S. Imposes Highest Acid Rain Fine Ever (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Energy firm to pay $15 million for Walnut Creek blast that killed 5 (SFGate.com) -- The company will pay a $10 million fine in the criminal case and an additional $5 million to end a related civil prosecution, Deputy District Attorney Lon Wixson said.

Brown, refinery forge green pact (Contra Costa Times.com)-- ConocoPhillips will pay state $10 million to offset emissions from the expansion of its Rodeo.

Boeing pays $471,000 pollution fine (Ventura County Star) -- The Boeing Co. has paid $471,000 for violating pollution standards at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory south of Simi Valley, state regulators announced this week.

August 2007

Air Resources Board Announces $700,000 settlement with Saleen, Inc., for sale of uncertified cars.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr082207.htm

ARB Settles Periodic Smoke Inspection Program Violations for $321,875.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr081407.htm

Techland Testing Assessed Penalties Of $ 30,000 In Merced And Stanislaus Counties For Violations In Testing Underground Gasoline Storage Tanks.
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/press/docs/2007/07_013.pdf

June 2007

Air Pollution Control District Enforcement Aids in Obtaining $13 Million Civil Settlement of Air Violations by Sierra Pacific Industries (Placer County Air Pollution Control District).
http://www.placer.ca.gov/upload/apc/documents/spisettlement062707.pdf

Man Pleads Guilty To Falsely Assuring Water Was Safe To Drink (10News.com) -- The plea, according to Deputy District Attorney Karen Doty, ensures that the 138 customers of the Live Oak Springs water system "have a clean and safe water source.
http://www.10news.com/news/13575344/detail.html

Ballico tire recycler faces $360,000 fine for permit violations (Modbee.com) -- State regulators are threatening to fine a Ballico tire recycler $360,000 for keeping too many tires at its facility. http://www.modbee.com/local/story/13701683p-14289769c.html

The Air Board’s Enforcement Efforts Stepped Up In 2006.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr061207.htm

Desert Indians' malfeasance lays toxic waste to reservation (ContraCostaTimes)-- Massive amounts of pollution, through air and in ground, litter landscape as tribes dodge reprisal. http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_6108330

Shirley Environmental Testing Assessed penalties of $125,000 for Violations of Underground Storage Tank Testing.
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/press/docs/2007/07_009.pdf

May 2007

The Shell oil refinery in Martinez has agreed to pay a $2.85 million fine for spewing 925 tons of carbon monoxide gas into the air during seven days in March after key pollution control devices broke down.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_5862026

DTSC Takes Enforcement Action Against Romic Environmental Technologies of East Palo Alto.
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_10_07.pdf

Kinder-Morgan to pay $5.3 million for fuel spills (ContraCostaTimes)-- The owner of a pipeline that spilled nearly 124,000 gallons of diesel fuel into Suisun Marsh in 2004 has agreed to pay nearly $5.3 million to state and federal agencies for that and two other spills since, federal officials announced Monday.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_5950251

Unearthed medical waste may be iceberg's tip (Contra Costa Times) -- "We learned what to look for," said Stephanie Weissman, a Riverside County prosecutor who has taken more than a dozen hospitals to court for improperly dumping medical waste. http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_5837146

Fourth South Bay facility to be cited for medical waste (The Mercury News) -- A fourth medical facility will be cited for sending untreated medical waste to a San Jose landfill, just days after similar citations were sent to three South Bay hospitals, according to landfill and Santa Clara County officials Tuesday.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5798673?nclick_check=1

Pacific Steel agrees to fine, pollution controls (San Francisco Chronicle) -- Pacific Steel, whose noxious fumes have been drifting over West Berkeley for years, came a step closer to cleaning up its facility Tuesday by settling a lawsuit with the regional air district. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/02/BAGQJPJATJ1.DTL&hw=environment&sn=005&sc=848

April 2007

California Department of Toxic Substances Control Reaches $495,000 Settlement With Defense Industry Manufacturer.
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_07_07.pdf

March 2007

$225,000 Settlement Reached with Liquid Nails Manufacturer.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr033007.htm

DTSC Appoints Gale Filter Deputy Director of the Enforcement and Emergency Response Program.
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_06_07.pdf

Husqvarna Outdoor Products Settles with ARB for $281,600. http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr031207.htm

February 2007

Lahontan Water Board’s Prosecution Team Proposes a $4 Million Settlement with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/lahontan/docs/lacsd/lacsd_press_release.pdf

Exxon Mobil and California Department of Toxic Substances Control Settle Over Hazardous Waste Violations at Los Angeles Region Company Site.
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_04_07.pdf

January 2007

ARB Settles with Cummins Engine Co. for $1.1 million.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr013007.htm

Air Resources Board Settles with West Coast Choppers for $271,250 .
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr012607.htm

$19,216 Settlement Reached with Unlimited Environmental, Incorporated .
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_02_07.pdf

$910,000 Settlement Reached with CalEnergy Operating Corporation.
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_01.pdf

$19,216 Settlement Reached with Unlimited Environmental, Incorporated. http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_02_07.pdf

$910,000 Settlement Reached with CalEnergy Operating Corporation. http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PressRoom/upload/NEWS_2007_T_01.pdf

December 2006

Wastewater treatment operator jailed, fined -- John Ekizian was convicted Wednesday on misdemeanor charges for operating a wastewater treatment plant without a license, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said.

Northern California Tanker pollution indictment -- Two oil tanker crewmen have been charged with falsifying records to conceal dumping of waste oil and sludge in Northern California waters.

November 2006

DPR Wins $689,000 for illegal flea products
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pressrls/2006/061128.htm

Lahontan Water Board Levies $500,000 fine against Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/lahontan/press/victor_valley_nov162006.pdf

Asbestos dust case settled in El Dorado -- Prosecutors have reached a $350,000 settlement with a pair of El Dorado Hills developers and a construction contractor accused of numerous public health offenses in blasting open hillsides that bear a particularly toxic form of asbestos. http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/72508.html

 

Cal/EPA Enforcement Orders | U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance (Region 9) News | News Archive