STATE
OF INDIANA |
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BEFORE
THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT |
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COMMISSIONER
OF THE DEPARTMENT Complainant, v. Allen County Regional Sewer District, Respondent. |
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AGREED ORDER
Complainant and
Respondent desire to settle and compromise this action without hearing or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and consent to the entry of the
following Findings of Fact and Order. Pursuant to Indiana Code (IC) 13-30-3-3,
entry into the terms of this Agreed Order does not constitute an admission of
any violation contained herein. Respondent's entry into this Agreed Order shall
not constitute a waiver of any defense, legal or equitable, which Respondent
may have in any future administrative or judicial proceeding, except a
proceeding to enforce this order.
I. FINDINGS OF FACT
1.
Complainant
is the Commissioner (Complainant) of the Indiana Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM), a department of the State of Indiana created by IC
13-13-1-1.
2.
Allen
County Regional Sewer District (Respondent), which owns/operates the Hoagland
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), located at the intersection of Minnich and
Flatrock Roads, Hoagland, Allen County,
Indiana (the Site).
3.
Respondent
is authorized by its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit No. IN0048119 (the Permit), to discharge wastewater treated in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the NPDES Permit from its WWTP into
Houk Ditch from Outfall 001.
4.
IDEM
has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this action
pursuant to IC 13-30-3.
5.
Pursuant
to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) via Certified
Mail/personal service to:
Ric Zehr,
Board President |
Allen County
Regional Sewer District |
PO Box 11888 |
Fort Wayne,
IN 46861 |
6.
During
an investigation conducted by a representative of IDEM, violations were found,
as described below.
7.
327
Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) 5-2-8(1) states the permittee shall comply
with all terms and condition of the Permit. Any permit noncompliance
constitutes a violation of the Clean Water Act and Indiana Code (IC) 13 and is
grounds for enforcement action by IDEM.
8.
Part
I.D of the Permit outlines the Schedule of Compliance for ammonia-nitrogen.
Pursuant
to Part I.D.2 of the Permit, if construction is required, a construction permit
application for complying with final requirements shall be submitted within
fourteen (14) months from the effective date of the permit.
Pursuant
to Part I.D.3 of the Permit, initiation of construction shall commence no later
than the twenty-three (23) months from the effective date of the permit.
Pursuant to Part I.D.5 of the Permit,
construction shall be completed within thirty-five (35) months from the
effective date of the permit.
Respondent
failed to submit a construction permit application by December 1, 2016. The
construction permit application was received late on April 11, 2018. Respondent
failed to initiate construction by September 1, 2017 and complete construction
by September 1, 2018, in violation of Part I.D.2, Part I.D.3, and Part I.D.5 of
the Permit.
9.
In
recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent waives any right to
administrative and judicial review of this Agreed Order.
II. ORDER
1.
This
Agreed Order shall be effective (Effective Date) when it is adopted by
Complainant or Complainant’s delegate (as evidenced by signature), and the
adopted Agreed Order has been received by Respondent. This Agreed Order shall
have no force or effect until the Effective Date. In addition to addressing the
violations cited in Paragraph 8 of the Findings of Fact above, this Agreed
Order also addresses any additional violations of these same rules that may
have occurred subsequent to the issuance of the NOV and prior to the Effective
Date.
2.
Respondent
shall comply with rules and statutes listed in the findings above at issue.
3.
Within 30 days of the
Effective Date, Respondent shall develop and submit to IDEM for approval a Compliance
Plan (CP) which identifies actions that Respondent will take to:
A.
Achieve and maintain
compliance with effluent limitations contained in the Permit, specifically
ammonia-nitrogen.
The
CP shall include an implementation and completion schedule, including specific
milestone dates.
4.
The plans required by Order Paragraph 3 are
subject to IDEM approval. In the event IDEM determines that any plan submitted
by Respondent is deficient or otherwise unacceptable, Respondent shall revise
and resubmit the plan to IDEM in accordance with IDEM’s notice. After three
submissions of such plan by Respondent, IDEM may seek civil enforcement of this
Order.
5.
Respondent, upon receipt of written
notification from IDEM, shall immediately implement the approved plan and adhere
to the milestone dates therein. The approved CP shall be incorporated into the
Agreed Order and shall be deemed an enforceable part thereof.
6.
Beginning with the first calendar quarter
following the Effective Date, Respondent shall submit to IDEM a written
progress report within 10 days of the end of each calendar quarter which
identifies the compliance actions implemented during each quarter ending March
31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December
31st until completion of the CP or AAP.
7.
Beginning on the Effective Date and continuing
until the successful completion of implementation of the approved CP as
required by Paragraph 3 above, Respondent shall, at all times, operate its
existing wastewater treatment plant as efficiently and effectively as possible.
8.
All
submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless Respondent is notified
otherwise in writing by IDEM, shall be sent to:
Brandi
Collignon, Enforcement Case Manager |
Office
of Water Quality – IGCN 1255 |
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management |
100
North Senate Avenue |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204-2251 |
9.
In
the event the terms and conditions of the following paragraphs are violated,
IDEM may assess and Respondent shall pay the corresponding stipulated penalty:
Paragraph |
Violation |
Stipulated Penalty |
3 |
Failure
to submit or modify the CP within the required time period. |
$400
per week late, or part thereof. |
4 |
Failure
to submit or modify the CP, if required, within the given time period. |
$250
per week late, or part thereof. |
5 |
Failure
to meet and/or implement any milestone date set forth in the approved CP. |
$500
per week late, or part thereof. |
6 |
Failure to submit to IDEM a written
report of progress within 10 days of each calendar quarter. |
$300
per week late, or part thereof. |
7 |
Failure
to operate the WWTP as efficiently and effectively as possible. |
$250
per violation. |
10.
Stipulated
penalties shall be due and payable no
later than the 30th day after Respondent receives written
notice that IDEM has determined a stipulated penalty is due, the 30th day being a “Due Date.”
IDEM may notify Respondent at any time that a stipulated penalty is due.
Failure to notify Respondent in writing in a timely manner of a stipulated
penalty assessment shall not waive IDEM’s right to collect such stipulated
penalty or preclude IDEM from seeking additional relief against Respondent for violation
of this Agreed Order. Neither assessment nor payment of stipulated penalties shall preclude IDEM from seeking additional relief
against Respondent for a violation
of this Agreed Order. Such additional
relief includes any remedies or sanctions available pursuant to Indiana law, including,
but not limited to, civil penalties pursuant to IC 13-30-4.
11.
Civil
and stipulated penalties are payable by check to the “Environmental Management
Special Fund.” Checks shall include the Case Number 2018-25763-W of this action
and shall be mailed to:
Office
of Legal Counsel |
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management |
IGCN,
Room N1307 |
100
North Senate Avenue |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 |
12.
This
Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding upon Respondent, its successors and
assigns. Respondent’s signatories to this Agreed Order certify that they are
fully authorized to execute this Agreed Order and legally bind the party they
represent. No change in ownership, corporate, or partnership status of
Respondent shall in any way alter its status or responsibilities under this
Agreed Order.
13.
In
the event that the monies due to IDEM pursuant to this Agreed Order are not
paid on or before their Due Date, Respondent shall pay interest on the unpaid
balance and any accrued interest at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1. The
interest shall be computed as having accrued from the Due Date until the date
that Respondent pays any unpaid balance. The interest shall continue to accrue
on the first of each month until the civil penalty and any interest accrued are
paid in full. Such interest shall be payable to the “Environmental Management
Special Fund,” and shall be payable to IDEM in the manner specified above.
14.
In
the event that any terms of this Agreed Order are found to be invalid, the
remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed
and enforced as if this Agreed Order did not contain the invalid terms.
15.
Respondent
shall provide a copy of this Agreed Order, if in force, to any subsequent
owners or successors before ownership rights are transferred. Respondent shall
ensure that all contractors, firms and other persons performing work under this
Agreed Order comply with the terms of this Agreed Order.
16.
This
Agreed Order is not and shall not be interpreted to be a permit or a
modification of an existing permit. This Agreed Order, and IDEM’s review or
approval of any submittal made by Respondent pursuant to this Agreed Order,
shall not in any way relieve Respondent of its obligation to comply with the
requirements of its applicable permits or any applicable Federal or State law
or regulation.
17.
Complainant
does not, by his approval of this Agreed Order, warrant or aver in any manner
that Respondent’s compliance with any aspect of this Agreed Order will result
in compliance with the provisions of any permit, order, or any applicable
Federal or State law or regulation. Additionally, IDEM or anyone acting on its
behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties Respondent may incur
as a result of Respondent’s efforts to comply with this Agreed Order.
18.
Nothing
in this Agreed Order shall prevent or limit IDEM’s rights to obtain penalties
or injunctive relief under any applicable Federal or State law or regulation,
except that IDEM may not, and hereby waives its right to, seek additional civil
penalties for the same violations specified in the Notice of Violation.
19.
Nothing
in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM (or anyone acting on its behalf) from communicating
with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) or any other
agency or entity about any matters relating to this enforcement action. IDEM or
anyone acting on its behalf shall not be held liable for any costs or penalties
Respondent may incur as a result of such communications with the US EPA or any
other agency or entity.
20.
This
Agreed Order shall remain in effect until Respondent has complied with the
terms and conditions of this Agreed Order and IDEM issues a Resolution of Case
(close out) letter to Respondent.
REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.
TECHNICAL
RECOMMENDATION: |
RESPONDENT: |
Department
of Environmental Management |
Allen County Regional Sewer District |
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By:__________________________ |
By:________________________ |
Samantha K.
Groce, Chief |
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Water
Enforcement Section |
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Surface Water, Operations & |
Printed:_____________________ |
Enforcement Branch |
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Office of Water Quality |
Title:_______________________ |
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Date:________________________ |
Date:_______________________ |
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COUNSEL
FOR RESPONDENT: |
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By:________________________ |
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Date:______________________ |
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APPROVED
AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL |
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MANAGEMENT
THIS ___________ DAY OF ________________, 20___. |
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For
The Commissioner: |
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Signed on March 7,
2019 |
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Martha
Clark Mettler |
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Assistant
Commissioner |
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Office
of Water Quality |