Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Notice of Issuance of Administrative Complaint, Assessment of Clean Water Act Class II Administrative Penalty, and Opportunity to Comment in the Matter of A Plus Materials Recycling
Publication Date: September 30, 2010
Public Comment Closes: October 30, 2010
In the Matter of A Plus Materials Recycling
Docket No. CWA-09-2010-0003
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX (“EPA”), is authorized under Section 309(g) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g), to assess civil penalties after providing the persons subject to the penalty notice of the proposed penalty and an opportunity for a hearing, and after providing interested persons public notice of the proposed penalty and a reasonable opportunity to comment on its issuance. Under Section 309(g), any person who, without authorization, discharges a pollutant to a navigable water, as those terms are defined in Section 502 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1362, may be administratively assessed a civil penalty of up to $177,500 for a Class II penalty by EPA. Class II proceedings for Section 309(g) of the Clean Water Act are conducted in accordance with the “Consolidated Rules of Practice Governing the Administrative Assessment of Civil Penalties, Issuance of Compliance or Corrective Action Orders, Revocation/Termination or Suspension of Permits,” (“Part 22”) 40 C.F.R. Part 22, 64 Fed. Reg. 40138 (July 23, 1999).
EPA hereby gives notice that it has filed an Administrative Complaint, Notice of Proposed Penalty, and Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing (“Complaint”) in the following matter:
In the Matter of A Plus Materials Recycling - Docket CWA-09-2010-0003
Respondent: A Plus Materials Recycling, 250 Port Road 23, Stockton, California, 95203
Description of Business or Activity Conducted by the Respondents: Scrap Material Recycling
Allegations in the Complaint: EPA alleges that Respondent violated CWA Section 301(a), 33 U.S.C. Section 1311(a), by discharging pollutants to a water of the United States in violation of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. In particular, EPA alleges that Respondent failed to comply with the terms of the State of California’s General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities when it discharged stormwater associated with industrial activities into the Stockton Ship Channel.
Proposed Penalty Pursuant to Section 309(g) of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g): Up to $177,500
Date Filed with Regional Hearing Clerk: September 30, 2010
Name, Mailing Address, Telephone Number, and email of Regional Hearing Clerk:
Steven Armsey (r9hearingclerk@epa.gov)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
75 Hawthorne Street (ORC-1)
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 972-3919
Instructions for Submitting Comments:
Please provide the following information along with your comments and submit them in accordance with Part 22:
Your full name, mailing address, telephone number, email, the Docket Number (CWA-09-2010-0005), and a concise statement of the basis for and relevant facts supporting any comment. Persons wishing to comment on this matter, including comments on the amount or basis of the proposed penalty, are invited to submit a statement to the EPA Regional Administrator, attention of the Regional Hearing Clerk (address above), within 30 days of the date of this public notice. All comments received within this 30 day period will be considered by EPA before it issues the final order. If the 30th day of the comment period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the deadline for commenting shall be extended to the next business day. See 40 C.F.R. 22.7(a). In order to provide opportunity for public comment and in accordance with 40 C.F.R. 22.45(b), EPA will not take final action in this proceeding prior to forty (40) days after issuance of this notice.
For More Information
Persons wishing to receive a copy of Part 22 or review the proposed Complaint may contact the Regional Hearing Clerk, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne, ORC-1, San Francisco, CA 94105, (415) 972-3871, or by email at r9hearingclerk@epa.gov. During the comment period, the Complaint may also be inspected during business hours at the office of the Regional Hearing Clerk.