Respondent
Name: The Andersons, Inc. Delphi Grain
Operations
Case
Number: 2019-26304-A
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 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 Indiana Code (“IC”) 13-13-1-1.
2.
Respondent is The Andersons, Inc. Delphi Grain
Operations (“Respondent”), which owns and operates the stationary grain storage
and handling facility for corn, soybeans, and wheat with Plant ID No. 015-00026,
located at 3854 North Anderson Drive in Delphi, Carroll County, Indiana
(“Site”).
3.
IDEM has jurisdiction over the parties and the
subject matter of this action.
Patrick
Bowe, CEO |
National
Registered Agents, Inc., |
The
Andersons, Inc. of Ohio |
Registered
Agent |
1947
Briar, P.O. Box 119 |
150
West Market Street, Suite 800 |
Maumee,
OH 43537 |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 |
4.
Pursuant to IC 13-30-3-3, IDEM issued a Notice
of Violation (“NOV”) via certified mail to:
5.
At the time of an inspection conducted on June
5 and June 19, 2019, the following violations were in existence or observed at
the Site by a representative of IDEM’s Office of Air Quality (“OAQ”).
a.
Pursuant to Minor Source Operating Permit
(“MSOP”) 015-28946-00026, issued August 12, 2010 (“Permit”), Conditions D.1.5
and D.1.7, Respondent shall take and record reasonable response steps to
restore operation of the baghouses to their normal permitted operating range, when,
for any one reading, the pressure drop across the baghouses is outside the
normal range of 3.0 to 6.0 inches of water.
Respondent failed to document any response steps taken when the pressure drop
readings for their receiving baghouses, identified as TD-1 and TD-2, were over
6.0 inches of water in January and February, 2019, in violation of Permit
Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7.
b.
Pursuant to Permit Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7,
Respondent shall take and record reasonable response steps to restore operation
of the baghouses to their normal permitted operating range, when, for any one
reading, the pressure drop across the baghouses is outside the normal range of
3.0 to 6.0 inches of water.
Respondent failed to document any response steps taken when the pressure drop
readings for their loading baghouses, identified as BH-1 and BH-2, were below
3.0 inches of water on various dates from January 2014 to June 19, 2019, in
violation of Permit Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7.
c.
Pursuant to Permit Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7,
Respondent shall observe and record the total static pressure drop across the
baghouses at least once per day when the grain receiving, internal handling,
grain cleaning and grain shipping facilities are in operation or record the
reason for the lack of a reading.
Respondent failed to provide the total static pressure drop for any of the
baghouses for the month of December 2018, in violation of Permit Conditions
D.1.5 and D.1.7.
d.
Pursuant to Permit Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7,
Respondent shall observe and record the total static pressure drop across the
baghouses at least once per day when the grain receiving, internal handling, grain
cleaning and grain shipping facilities are in operation or record the reason
for the lack of a reading.
Respondent failed to record the total static pressure drop or the reason for
the lack of a reading for various baghouses on various dates from January 2014
to June 19, 2019, in violation of Permit Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7.
6.
Orders of the Commissioner are subject to
administrative review by the Office of Environmental Adjudication under IC
4-21.5; however, in recognition of the settlement reached, Respondent
acknowledges notice of this right and 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 via signature by Complainant or Complainant’s
delegate, and the adopted Agreed Order has been received by Respondent. This Agreed Order shall have no force or
effect until the Effective Date. This
offer to settle the allegations contained in this Agreed Order does not bind or
obligate the parties of this enforcement action if the Agreed Order is not
adopted.
2.
Respondent is assessed a civil penalty of Five
Hundred Dollars ($500.00). Respondent
shall pay said penalty amount no later than fifteen (15) days after the
Effective Date (“Due Date”). In the
event that the civil penalty is not paid by the Due Date, Respondent shall pay
interest on the unpaid balance at the rate established by IC 24-4.6-1-101.
3.
In the event the terms and conditions of this
Agreed Order are violated, Complainant may seek additional relief.
4.
Civil penalties are payable by check to the
“Environmental Management Special Fund.” Checks shall include the Case Number of this
action and shall be mailed to:
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management Accounts Receivable |
IGCN,
Rm 1340 |
100
N Senate Ave |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 |
5.
This Agreed Order shall apply to and be binding
upon Respondent and 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.
6.
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.
7.
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 permit or any applicable Federal or State law or
regulation.
8.
Complainant does not, by its 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.
9.
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 NOV.
10.
Nothing in this Agreed Order shall prevent IDEM
or anyone acting on its behalf from communicating with the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (“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 EPA or any other agency or entity.
11.
Respondent warrants, at the time of its entry
into this Agreed Order, that it is in compliance with the requirements of Permit
Conditions D.1.5 and D.1.7.
12.
The parties were free to consult with their
respective counsel regarding entry into this Agreed Order to the extent each
deemed necessary.
TECHNICAL
RECOMMENDATION: |
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RESPONDENT:* |
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Department
of Environmental Management |
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The
Andersons, Inc. Delphi Grain Operations |
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By: |
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By: |
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David
P. McIver, Chief |
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Printed: |
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Enforcement
Section |
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Title: |
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Office
of Air Quality |
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Date: |
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APPROVED
AND ADOPTED BY THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL |
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MANAGEMENT THIS |
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DAY OF |
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2019. |
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For
the Commissioner: |
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Signed
on September 17, 2019 |
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Matthew Stuckey, Deputy Assistant
Commissioner |
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Office
of Air Quality |
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_____________________
* In the event
that Respondent does not accept the settlement offer contained in this Agreed
Order, IDEM notes that this document is a qualified offer of settlement, and
therefore Rule 408 of Indiana Rules of Evidence applies to this document,
rendering it inadmissible.