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Contact EPA Pacific Southwest Water Division

Pacific Southwest, Region 9

Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations

Storm Water Compliance Initiative - Ports

Related Information

Contact Information

Greg Gholson (gholson.greg@epa.gov)
Office of Water Compliance and Enforcement
(415) 947-4209

APM Terminals at Pier 400, Port of Los Angeles. Photo credit: Port of Los Angeles
Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro Fork Lift: A stained container in maintenance area without any stormwater cover or containment.
Port of Long Beach, International Transportation Service: Lack of good housekeeping as trash and debris were found throughout facility.
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Port of Los Angeles, APM Terminals: Staining on the ground at lubrication station. No cover or containment in this area.

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Port of Long Beach, Cabrillo Boat Yard: Leaking engines stored without cover

These inadequately protected stormdrain inlets near a materials recycling area threaten the estuary waters at Port of Stockton.

Port of Stockton, A Plus Materials: Inadequately protected stormdrain inlets near a materials recycling area.

On This Page

Ports facilities are highly concentrated industrial areas near water. Ports contain a variety of facilities including container terminals, boat repair shops, and industries related to the transportation of goods. Many of these industries are subject to storm water requirements. Due to their close proximity to our nation's waterways, port industries' compliance with storm water requirements has been identified as an emerging national enforcement priority area. Region 9 is evaluating stormwater management at various ports. This effort involves both individual inspections of port tenants and audits of the municipal storm water programs that oversee the ports and their storm water drainage systems. The goal of Region 9's efforts is to improve coastal water quality through the use of enforcement actions and by working with states to improve storm water permits for ports.

Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

“Contaminants in storm water run-off are a significant source of water pollution to coastal waters in Southern California. We will be working with the Regional Board, the cities, the ports and their tenants to minimize the impacts of port operations on water quality.” Alexis Strauss, Water Division Director

EPA and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board conducted on-site audits of City of Los Angeles' and City Long Beach's municipal storm water programs and conducted 55 individual storm water inspections of port tenants in May 2007. As a result of this effort, on November 9, 2007, EPA issued an audit report and orders to facilities not in compliance with California's Industrial General Permit.

Audit Report

Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles Municipal Separate Storm Sewer and California Industrial General Storm Water Permit

Administrative Penalty Orders Date of Order
Marine Technical Services - Civil Complaint (PDF) (14 pp, 339K) 9/28/09
San Pedro Forklift - Civil Complaint (PDF) (14 pp, 54K) 9/28/09
Eagle Marine - Civil Complaint (PDF) (16 pp, 68K) 9/28/09
American Marine Corporation - Civil Complaint (PDF) (16 pp, 373K) 9/17/09
General Petroleum Consent Agreement and Proposed Final Order (PDF) (14 pp, 76K) 9/22/09
APM Terminal Consent Agreement and Proposed Final Order (PDF) (21 pp, 767K) 9/03/09

Administrative Orders

Orders were issued to the Port of Long Beach and the following Port of Long Beach tenants.

Port of Los Angeles

Administrative Orders Date of Order
American Workboats (PDF) (8 pp, 55K) 11/09/07
APM Terminals (PDF) (8 pp, 60K) 11/09/07
Catalina Freight (PDF) (8 pp, 48K) 11/09/07
Cerritos Yacht (PDF) (8 pp, 48K) 11/09/07
Eagle Marines (PDF) (8 pp, 54K) 11/09/07
General Petroleum (PDF) (8 pp, 49K) 11/09/07
Marine Technical Services (PDF) (8 pp, 48K) 11/09/07
Pacific Harbor Line (PDF) (8 pp, 51K) 11/09/07
San Pedro Forklift (PDF) (8 pp, 51K)
2nd San Pedro Forklift (PDF) (8 pp, 41K)		 11/09/07
9/28/09
Seaside Evergreen (PDF) (8 pp, 53K) 11/09/07
Star-Kist (aka DelMonte) (PDF) (8 pp, 52K) 11/09/07
Trapac (PDF) (8 pp, 53K) 11/09/07

Port of Long Beach

Administrative Orders Date of Order
Baker Commodities (PDF) (7 pp, 42K) 11/09/07
Cabrillo Boat Shop (PDF) (8 pp, 54K) 11/09/07
Georgia Pacific Gypsum (PDF) (7 pp, 49K) 11/09/07
Intl. Transportation Services (PDF) (7 pp, 49K) 11/09/07
Mitsubishi Cement (PDF) (7 pp, 48K) 11/09/07
Morton International (PDF) (8 pp, 50K) 11/10/07
National Gypsum (PDF) (8 pp, 51K) 11/09/07
Pacific Container (PDF) (7 pp, 49K) 11/09/07

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Port of San Francisco

Administrative Orders Date of Order
Westar (PDF) (64 pp, 7.0M) 6/10/11
Cemex Construction Materials Pacific (PDF) (52 pp, 7.0M) 3/21/11

Port of Stockton

EPA and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board conducted an on-site audit of the Port of Stockton's municipal storm water program and conducted 25 individual storm water inspections of port tenants in March 2008.

Audit Report

Administrative Orders and Complaints Date of Order
A-Plus Materials Recycling (PDF) (30 pp, 4.9M) 1/08/09
A Plus Complaint (PDF) (12 pp, 65K) 9/30/10
Alco Iron and Metal Company (PDF) (26 pp, 4.4M) 1/08/09
MacSteel Service Centers USA (PDF) (13 pp, 2.6M) 1/08/09
Posdef Power Co. LP (PDF) (10 pp, 524k) 1/08/09
Port of Stockton Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System AOC (PDF) (28 pp, 1.3M) 12/4/09

Port Hawaii

EPA and the Hawaii Dept. of Health conducted an on-site audit of the Hawaii Dept. of Transportation, Harbors Division's municipal storm water program regarding it harbor facilities on Oahu (Honolulu and Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbors and Kewalo Basin) and conducted 35 individual storm water inspections of port tenants in December 2008.

Audit Report

Administrative Orders and Complaints Date of Order
Marisco Ltd. with exhibits (PDF) (126 pp, 9.9M, scanned) 3/24/09
Hawaii Dept. of Transportation, Harbors Division (PDF) (30pp, 70K)
Cover letter (PDF) (2 pp, 500K)		 6/18/09
Hawaii Stevedores, Inc. (PDF) (11 pp, 4.5M, scanned) 9/25/09
Hawaii Stevedores Complaint (PDF) (9 pp, 44K) 9/24/10
Honolulu Marine, LLC (PDF) (11 pp, 4.7M, scanned) 9/25/09
Honolulu Marine LLC Complaint (PDF) (19 pp, 86K) 9/29/10

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