The Bullet:

Federal facility (U.S. Navy) found to be in violation of USEPA regulations.  Settlement reached with monetary penalty.

Who:

• USEPA Region 9 Pacific Southwest Region.  CONTACT:  Soledad Calvino (News Media Only) / calvino.maria@epa.gov / 415-972-3512
• Department of the Navy

What:

• Operations at the facility include:
  • Research and development of explosive materials and weapons
  • Aircraft maintenance
  • Facilities maintenance operations
  • Metal fabrication operations
  • Storage of hazardous materials and waste.
• Under the agreement the federal facility will pay a $23,700 penalty.
• The facility has resolved the identified violations and is now in compliance with the RCRA requirements.

Where:

The Naval Air Weapons Station – China Lake is in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately 150 miles north of Los Angeles.

When:

• Inspections conducted by USEPA in 2018.
• Settlement announced:  10.03.19
• News release: 10.03.19

Why:

• EPA’s 2018 inspections of the facility identified violations of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations.
• Violations identified during the inspection included:
  • Failure to comply with a permit condition that requires deteriorating containers to be replaced or put inside larger containers in good condition at the point of generation.
  • Failure to keep hazardous waste containers closed.
  • Failure to properly manage universal wastes.

How:

The Federal Facilities Compliance Act (FFCA) of 1992 expanded the reach of RCRA to include Federal facilities within the Executive branch of the U.S. government.

Conclusion:

“It is critical for federal agencies to comply with laws that protect public health and our natural resources,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker. “This agreement will bring the Department of the Navy into compliance with hazardous waste laws and help minimize the potential for hazardous waste releases to the environment.”

It may come as a surprise to some, but public institutions – Federal, state, & local – even the U.S. Navy! is subject to USEPA’s hazardous waste regulations.  If you work at or for a public facility make certain your operations comply with Federal and state regulations for the management of waste.  My Hazardous Waste Personnel training is a good way to learn the regulations, inform your employees, and meet the regulatory requirements to provide training.