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Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 14:43:16 -0500
Reply-To: Ralph Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Ralph Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>
Subject: EPA seeks $171,050 from Plymouth State University,
NH for Hazardous Waste Violations
http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/2005/mar/sr050301.html
EPA seeks $171,050 from Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH for
Hazardous Waste Violations
Contact: Sheryl Rosner, EPA Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1865
rosner.sheryl**At_Symbol_Here**epa.gov
For Immediate Release March 3, 2005; Press Release #sr050301
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has
proposed a $171,050 penalty against Plymouth State University, in
Plymouth, NH for violations of hazardous waste laws. The proposed
penalty stems from violations found during an EPA inspection at the
college's campus in June 2003.
According to the complaint, the university violated both state and
federal hazardous waste requirements. Specifically, EPA claims that
the University failed to:
* make hazardous waste determinations;
* properly store hazardous waste;
* maintain spill and fire control equipment;
* post "no smoking" signs;
* post emergency telephone numbers and locations of emergency equipment;
* keep hazardous waste containers closed;
* mark hazardous waste containers with accumulation dates and other
important information; and
* conduct inspections of hazardous waste storage areas.
"Plymouth State failed to follow basic hazardous waste regulations
and put its students and employees at risk," said Robert W. Varney,
regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "The public and
the environment will be safer when all schools are in compliance
with our nation's environmental laws."
This action is the latest of numerous enforcement actions EPA's New
England Office has filed against colleges and universities as part
of its College and University Initiative. Launched in 1999, the
initiative has also included enforcement actions against Boston
University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the
University of Massachusetts-Amherst, as well as other colleges and
universities in the region.
The initiative was launched after EPA inspectors noticed generally
poor compliance during their visits to universities, which typically
have large numbers of laboratories and other operations generating a
large array of toxic chemicals. In addition to enforcement
activities, the initiative includes extensive compliance assistance,
including workshops geared for university environmental compliance
personnel and a university compliance web page at:
www.epa.gov/region01/assistance/univ/
EPA New England is also conducting a College and University Audit
Initiative, in which colleges and universities voluntarily disclose
and promptly correct violations before an EPA inspection occurs. By
making such disclosures, participants may become eligible for
significant penalty reductions or even penalty elimination. More
than 175 university facilities in New England are participating in
this program and more than 125 self-disclosures have been received
and reviewed by EPA, to date. Plymouth State University has not
participated in this project.
To find out more about environmental audits visit:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing/index.html
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