STATE
OF INDIANA |
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BEFORE
THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT |
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COMMISSIONER
OF THE DEPARTMENT Complainant, v. City of Shelbyville, 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.
City
of Shelbyville (Respondent), which owns/operates the City of Shelbyville Water
Resource Recovery Facility, located at 775 West Boggstown
Road, Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana (the Site).
3.
Respondent
is authorized by its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit No. IN0032867 (the Permit), to discharge wastewater treated in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the NPDES Permit from its Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP) into Big Blue River, 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:
Thomas
DeBaun, Mayor |
Bradley Fix,
Superintendent |
City of
Shelbyville |
City of
Shelbyville |
44 W.
Washington Street |
775 West Boggstown Road |
Shelbyville,
IN 46176 |
Shelbyville,
IN 46176 |
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 conditions 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.
Pursuant
to 327 IAC 3-2-1.5, no person shall cause or allow the construction, installation,
or modification of any water pollution treatment/control facility or sanitary
sewer without a valid construction permit issued by the commissioner.
Pursuant
to 327 IAC 3-2-2, construction shall not commence until all necessary state
approvals and permits are obtained.
In
December 2018, a phosphorus removal project was completed by Respondent prior
to the issuance of a construction permit.
On April 29, 2019, IDEM received an application for a construction
permit for Phosphorus Removal. A
Deficiency Notice was issued on May 24, 2019.
On July 9, 2019, it was confirmed that the equipment had already been
installed in December 2018. On July 24,
2019, a Non-Objection Letter, entitled Plans and Specifications Review, was
issued to Respondent as a result of the unpermitted
construction project. The construction of
a phosphorus removal system without a permit is in violation of 327 IAC 3-2-1.5
and 327 IAC 3-2-2.
9.
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 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.
All
submittals required by this Agreed Order, unless Respondent is notified
otherwise in writing by IDEM, shall be sent to:
David
Koehler, Enforcement Case Manager |
Office
of Water Quality – IGCN 1255 |
Indiana
Department of Environmental Managemen |
100
North Senate Avenue |
Indianapolis,
IN 46204-2251 |
4.
Respondent
is assessed and agrees to pay a civil penalty of One Thousand Eight Hundred Six
Dollars ($1,806). Said penalty amount shall be due and payable to the
“Environmental Management Special Fund” within 30 days of the Effective Date,
the 30th day being a “Due Date.”
5.
Civil
and stipulated penalties are payable by check to the “Environmental Management
Special Fund.” Checks shall include the Case Number 2019-26705-W of this action
and shall be mailed to:
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management |
Accounts
Receivable |
IGCN, Room
1340 |
100 North
Senate Avenue |
Indianapolis,
Indiana 46204 |
6.
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.
7.
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.
8.
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.
9.
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.
10.
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.
11.
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.
12.
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.
13.
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.
14.
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 |
City of Shelbyville |
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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 September 23, 2020 |
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Martha
Clark Mettler |
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Assistant
Commissioner |
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Office
of Water Quality |