SPCC & FRP violations lead to big settlement for Pittsburgh-based company

Company faces big settlement with EPA and two separate states over violations of the Clean Water Act’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) and Facility Response Plan (FRP) requirements.

Koppers Inc. settles with EPA for alleged oil spill prevention violations in West Virginia, Pennsylvania

11/19/2020
Contact Information: 

EPA Region 3 Press Office (R3press@epa.gov)

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 19, 2020) – Koppers Inc. has agreed to settle with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the state of  West Virginia and the state of Pennsylvania to resolve alleged violations of federal and state environmental laws at its facilities in Follansbee and Green Spring, West Virginia, and Clairton, Pennsylvania, EPA announced today.

A complaint filed with the settlement agreement cited violations of the Clean Water Act’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) and Facility Response Plan (FRP) requirements. The SPCC rules help facilities prevent a discharge of oil into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. The FRP rules require certain facilities to submit a response plan and prepare to respond to a worst-case oil discharge or threat of a discharge.  Koppers is a Pittsburgh-based company involved in carbon materials and chemicals, railroad products and services, and performance chemicals.

Under a proposed consent decree filed in the United States District Court of the Northern District of West Virginia, Koppers will pay $800,000 to the United States, $175,000 to West Virginia, and $24,500 to Pennsylvania. The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period.

The complaint also cited violations of the West Virginia Above Ground Storage Tank Act and its implementing regulations, which seek to protect and conserve the water resources of the state and its citizens. In addition, the complaint cited violations of the Pennsylvania Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act and its implementing regulations, which set forth tank handling and inspection requirements.

According to EPA, the most significant violations were at the Follansbee facility – notably, deficiencies in the facility’s secondary containment for spills, and inadequate structural integrity inspection and testing of aboveground tanks.

EPA cited other major SPCC violations at the Clairton and now-closed Green Spring facilities, and other violations of the FRP regulations at the Clairton and Follansbee facilities.

In addition to the penalty, the consent decree requires Koppers to conduct integrity testing of specified tanks at the Follansbee site, or take them out of service; and to comply with SPCC and FRP reporting and plan amendment requirements.

For the full article, visit EPA’s site here.

Knowing proper SPCC rules and regulations can help avoid settlements like these. Maintain your compliance by getting the training you need before violations happen. Check out our SPCC training now:

Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC)

Topics covered include:

  • What a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan is
  • SPCC training requirements and goals
  • What types of oils are covered by the SPCC program
  • Spill prevention and planning requirements
  • Ways to prevent or minimize the potential for spills
  • What are secondary containment and diversionary structures
  • Operations, equipment, and processes which have a potential to cause a spill
  • Basic spill response expectations
  • How to respond to an emergency involving serious injury
  • How to response to a non-emergency spill
  • Reporting incidental shop spills
  • Reporting requirements
  • Accidental sewage discharges
  • What to do if you discover an underground storage tank (UST) leak
  • Secondary containment system drainage procedures
  • Fuel delivery and grease trap pumping best management practices (BMPs)
  • Other oil-filled process equipment

Be sure to check out all of our other training courses, too.

New Training

NEW: Washington State UST Certification Training Now Available

We’ve added more training to our UST certification catalog! We are happy to announce the addition of our UST Class C Operator Certification Training for the state of Washington!

UST Class C

This course has been reviewed and approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology and successful completion of this training will award UST Class C operator certification in the state of Washington.

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In this 5 module training program, you will learn critical compliance information required to perform your job as a certified UST Class C operator in the state of Washington. Curriculum topics include:

Introduction to Class C Operators

  • Class C operator responsibilities
  • Class C operator certification
  • Operator requirements and training records
  • plus more

UST System Components

  • The primary parts of a pump dispenser
  • Spill prevention equipment
  • Spill buckets
  • Sumps
  • Safeguard and emergency shut off devices
  • Emergency shut off switches
  • plus more

Spill and Overfill Prevention

  • Main sources of UST releases
  • What makes gasoline dangerous
  • How to be prepared for an emergency
  • Correct filling practices

Emergency Response

  • Release monitoring
  • What constitutes a suspected release
  • Common causes of spills and releases
  • What is considered an emergency
  • What to do in case of an emergency
  • plus more

Cleanup

  • Spill containment materials
  • Sorbents
  • Basic steps to follow when responding to a petroleum spill
  • Washing down spills
  • Reminder as to what to do in case of an emergency

certification

Reduce your risk of noncompliance.

Get your Washington UST Class C Certification today.

And be sure to check out our full catalog of all UST state-certified and preparatory training programs:

Lead Awareness

It’s NLPPW: Are You Up-to-Date on Your Lead Awareness?

It’s National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. This year, during October 25-31, NLPPW encourages individuals, organizations and governments to increase lead poisoning prevention awareness in an effort to reduce childhood exposure to lead. Lead exposure to children can be extremely harmful causing damage to the brain and nervous system, as well as slowed development.

The most common route of lead exposure in children is ingestion from chemicals and foreign bodies containing lead such as lead paint (peels, chips, paint removal) or contaminated food or water. It is important to keep yourself educated on the products you use for your safety and the safety of those around you. Did you know we offer training courses in Lead Management and Lead Awareness for this purpose? Check them out now:

Lead & Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Management 

In this 3 module training curriculum, you’ll learn:

  • What lead and lead-based paint (LBP) is
  • Modern day products that contain lead
  • Lead laws and executive orders
  • How to detect lead-based paint
  • Precautions you should take when remodeling buildings that contain LBP
  • LBP abatement activities
  • Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) activities
  • Lead’s harmful health effects on the human body (adults and children)
  • Why lead is so toxic to humans
  • Lead sources and how you could be exposured
  • Lead exposure symptoms
  • How to reduce potential health risks from exposure to lead
  • The different methods to test for lead in paint (laboratory and field testing)
  • Proper LBP waste disposal
  • Removal of structures containing LBP
  • Certifications to conduct work with LBP
  • How to become certified to perform LBP renovations
  • Proper procedures for safely removing LBP
  • States authorized to administer the LBP program
  • The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
  • TSCA notification exceptions
  • The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and LBP
  • OSHA and LBP
  • Plus more

Lead Awareness

In this training course, you’ll learn:

  • What lead is and who regulates it
  • Common uses of lead
  • Why lead is used in products
  • Routes of lead exposure
  • Symptoms of lead poisoning
  • Levels of lead poisoning
  • Lead dangers for children and adults
  • Preventative measures to avoid lead poisoning
  • Plus more

Want to spead the word on NLPPW? Visit https://www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week to learn more. NLLPW logo

Clean Air Act

EPA settlement with MarkWest Liberty Bluestone, L.L.C. over Clean Air Act Violations

EPA and a Pennsylvania natural gas processing plant settled on a $150,000 penalty for noncompliance regarding violations of the Clean Air Act.

EPA settlement with MarkWest addresses Clean Air Act violations at Evans City, Pa. plant

PHILADELPHIA (September 25, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today a settlement with MarkWest Liberty Bluestone, L.L.C. to settle alleged Clean Air Act violations at its natural gas processing plant in Evans City, Pennsylvania.

EPA cited MarkWest for violations that included:

  • Failure to timely conduct a third-party leak detection and repair audit,
  • Failure to timely comply with requirements for monitoring leaks at connectors, and
  • Failure to timely apply to incorporate these leak detection requirements into a federally enforceable state operating permit.

These alleged violations increased the risk of excess fugitive volatile organic compound emissions from the facility.

EPA identified the alleged violations while reviewing the company’s compliance with a previous administrative compliance order from March 2017 related to prior violations.

As part of the settlement, MarkWest did not admit liability for the alleged violations, but has agreed to pay a penalty of $150,000 and has certified that it is now in compliance with applicable Clean Air Act requirements.

Know the facts and health problems associated with air quality. Through proper training, you can keep yourself and others safe. Learn regulations and requirements with our Air Quality Awareness course: 

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Air Quality Awareness

Topics covered include:

  • Federal & state air regulations
  • Where air pollution comes from
  • Air permit requirements
  • Types of air emission sources
  • Mobile & stationary sources of air emissions
  • Best management practices (BMPs) to help control air emissions
  • What hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are, and the health problems associated with them
  • What Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is, and the health problems associated with them
  • What Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are
  • How to minimize exposure to VOCs
  • How to prepare for an inspection
  • Plus more

Be sure to check out all of our available training courses, too.

Click here for more info from the EPA on this settlement.

Save on Environmental Compliance

Going On Now: Save 10% On All Training!

Now – September 15,

SAVE 10% on all your Environmental and Safety Compliance Training.

We’re here to help keep a safe and compliant workplace for you and your business.

And now we’re making it even easier with a 10% discount off your training!

Certification, awareness and preparatory courses available in both individual modules and full multi-course packages. Use code 10%4U.

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new

UST Certification Training Now Available for Illinois

Exciting news for our Underground Storage Tank division! We are happy to announce the addition of our newest UST Class A/B Operator Certification Training for the state of Illinois. This course has been reviewed and approved by the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and successful completion of this training will award UST Class A/B operator certification in the state of Illinois. 

certified

Now you can get your UST Class A/B or Class C Illinois certification

right here, right now!

In these training programs, you will learn critical compliance information required to perform your job as a certified UST Class A/B or Class C operator in the state of Illinois. Module topics include:

Class A/B curriculum:

  • UST Operator Training Requirements
    • State requirements
    • Operator responsibilities
    • Facility and training record requirements
  • Underground Storage Tanks
    • What tanks qualify as USTs
    • Common construction materials
    • Product compatibility and requirements
    • Tank venting
    • Secondary Containment
    • Sumps
  • Spill and Overfill Prevention
    • Correct filling practices
    • Spill prevention equipment and requirements
    • Overfill protection devices
    • Prevention requirements
  • Release Detection
    • Automatic tank gauging (ATG) systems and regulatory requirements
    • ATG monthly leak tests
    • Inventory control and common problems
    • Monitoring devices
    • Under-dispenser containment (UDC)
    • Release detection requirements
    • Spill detection inspections
  • Corrosion Control
    • Corrosion protection requirements
    • Cathodic protection, testing and recordkeeping
    • Interior lining
  • UST Financial Requirements
    • Demonstrating financial responsibility
    • UST financial responsibility categories
    • Required dollar amount of financial responsibility
    • Required scope of coverage
    • General recordkeeping/reporting requirements
    • When coverage is no longer necessary
  • Temporary and Permanent Tank Closure
    • Delivery prohibition programs
    • Closing a tank temporarily and permanently
  • Emergency Response
    • UST release response
    • Identifying and responding to suspected releases
    • Short and long-term actions
    • Spill containment materials
    • Steps to follow when responding to a petroleum spill
    • Spills reaching water
    • Large spills
  • Recordkeeping and Reporting
    • Importance of recordkeeping
    • Recordkeeping requirements

Plus much more!

Class C curriculum:

  • Introduction to Class C Operators
    • Class C operator responsibilities
    • Class C operator certification
    • Operator requirements and training records
  • UST System Components
    • The primary parts of a pump dispenser
    • Spill prevention equipment
    • Safeguard and emergency shut off devices
  • Spill and Overfill Prevention
    • Main sources of UST releases
    • How to be prepared for an emergency
    • Correct filling practices
  • Emergency Response
    • Release monitoring
    • Common causes of spills and releases
    • What to do in case of an emergency
  • Cleanup
    • Spill containment materials
    • Basic steps to follow when responding to a petroleum spill
    • Washing down spills

Plus much more!

certification

Reduce your risk of noncompliance.

Get your Illinois UST Class A/B or Class C Certification today.

And be sure to check out our full catalog of

UST state-certified and preparatory training programs:

reviews

Navy shares great reviews of their ECATTS training

We are always happy to receive feedback on any of our compliance training. Thanks to our wonderful Navy clients in our ECATTS government division for these great reviews. Keep up the good work with your training!

We strive to provide the best training experience possible for all of our customers. See what they have to say about their ECATTS training:

“Best training I have ever received!”

“Doing the training this way was a breath of fresh air [verses] just reading print outs and being bored to death. It was very smooth and straight to the point with all the key points. Thank you.”

“This training is concise and helpful.  We could use more training like this.”

“VERY INFORMATIVE.”

“I learned something I have been wanting to know. Thank you very much.”

“The training materials are very helpful to understand the topic.”

“[W]onderful training, very insightful.”

“Wouldn’t change anything about the training.”

“Links to more information is a bonus, greatly beneficial.”

“The information was well presented and easy to read.”

“Thumbs up…excellent training.”

“GREAT LEARNING PROCESS, VERY INFORMATIVE THANK YOU.”

“GREAT Customer support.”

And you can get some of the same training right here!

Check out our full catalog of environmental and safety training, available for individual purchase and in convenient course packs. Group discounts available!

New

NEW Certification Training Now Available for Hawaii!

We are happy to announce the addition of our newest UST Class A/B Operator Certification Training for the state of Hawaii! 

This course has been reviewed and approved by the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) and successful completion of this training will award UST Class A/B operator certification in the state of Hawaii.

Badge icon "Ribbon (1317)" provided by John Caserta, from The Noun Project under Creative Commons - Attribution (CC BY 3.0)

In this 9 module training program, you will learn critical compliance information required to perform your job as a certified UST Class A/B operator in the state of Hawaii. Module topics include:

  • UST Operator Training Requirements
    • State requirements
    • Operator responsibilities
    • Facility and training record requirements
  • Underground Storage Tanks
    • What tanks qualify as USTs
    • Common construction materials
    • Product compatibility and requirements
    • Tank venting
    • Secondary Containment
    • Sumps
  • Spill and Overfill Prevention
    • Correct filling practices
    • Spill prevention equipment and requirements
    • Overfill protection devices
    • Prevention requirements
  • Release Detection
    • Automatic tank gauging (ATG) systems and regulatory requirements
    • ATG monthly leak tests
    • Inventory control and common problems
    • Monitoring devices
    • Under-dispenser containment (UDC)
    • Release detection requirements
    • Spill detection inspections
  • Corrosion Control
    • Corrosion protection requirements
    • Cathodic protection, testing and recordkeeping
    • Interior lining
  • UST Financial Requirements
    • Demonstrating financial responsibility
    • UST financial responsibility categories
    • Required dollar amount of financial responsibility
    • Required scope of coverage
    • General recordkeeping/reporting requirements
    • When coverage is no longer necessary
  • Temporary and Permanent Tank Closure
    • Delivery prohibition programs
    • Closing a tank temporarily and permanently
  • Emergency Response
    • UST release response
    • Identifying and responding to suspected releases
    • Short and long-term actions
    • Spill containment materials
    • Steps to follow when responding to a petroleum spill
    • Spills reaching water
    • Large spills
  • Recordkeeping and Reporting
    • Importance of recordkeeping
    • Recordkeeping requirements

Plus much more!

certification

Reduce your risk of noncompliance.

Get your Hawaii UST Class A/B Certification today.

And be sure to check out our catalog of all UST state-certified and preparatory training programs:

Violation Notice

FIFRA violations lead to settlement for Delaware company

EPA Settles Pesticide Worker Protection Case With C&S Farms of Laurel, Delaware

PHILADELPHIA (June 15, 2020) – C&S Farms, Inc. of Laurel, Delaware, will pay a $25,000 penalty as part of a settlement over alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) related to pesticide safety requirements for agricultural workers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

EPA cited C&S for allegedly failing to comply with FIFRA’s agriculture Worker Protection Standard which requires the display of pesticide and safety information for agricultural workers and for allegedly failing to provide decontamination supplies to employees who worked in pesticide-treated areas.

FIFRA is designed to protect both the public and workers from harmful pesticide exposure and injuries. Through worker safety, training, informational and other safeguards, FIFRA’s Worker Protection Standards offers occupational protection to more than two million agricultural workers and pesticide handlers who work at more than 600,000 agricultural establishments.

Fewer pesticide-related injuries means a healthier workforce and fewer lost wages, medical expenses and absences from work and school.

You can read the full article on EPA’s site here.

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Do you know about our Pesticide Awareness training? In this course, you’ll learn the major federal pesticide laws, best management practices when mixing pesticides, how to properly store and dispose of pesticides, and what to expect during an inspection.

Through proper training, you can keep yourself and others safe. Check it out now:

World Environment Day

It’s World Environment Day 2020!

World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5th. It’s a day to raise awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Our daily lives all rely on our environment; the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breath, and our climate all make our planet habitable. Increasing awareness for its protection not only helps the earth, it helps us. And now more than ever, it’s time to protect everyone.

The theme in 2020 is “Celebrate Biodiversity” and with 1 million species facing extinction, there has never been a more important time to focus on biodiversity.

Celebrate the day with a plan of action to learn, grow and protect our planet.

World Environment Day