# E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY
> **Judicial** · FY1998 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `22845`
- **Case Number:** 04-1998-0509
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** —
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

DUPONT VIOLATED THE  GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE  OF THE CAA AT ITS  FLUOROPRODUCTS FACILITY IN LOUISVILLE, KY, BY (1) FAILING TO IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS OF A HYDROGEN FLUORIDE RELEASE DURING   MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES; (2) FAILING TO DESIGN AND MAINTAIN A PIPING AND VALVE SYSTEM THAT WOUDL PREVENT RELEASES OF       HYDROGEN FLUORIDE; AND (3) FAILING TO MINIMIZE HYDROGEN      FLUORIDE RELEASES BY INSTALLING AN AUTOMATIC INSULATION      VALVE NEAR THE REACTOR.  ON MAY 19, 1997, THESE FAILURES     RESULTED IN AN 11,500 POUND RELEASE OF HYDROGEN FLUORIDE     WHEN A VALVE BROKE DURING MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES.  DUPONT IS THE ONLY DEFENDANT AND A BOTTOM-LINE PENALTY IS SOUGHT OF    $1.5 MILLION.  NO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF IS NEEDED SINCE DUPONT   HAS RECTIFIED ITS PROBLEMS.  THIS CASE IS A NATIONALLY       SIGNIFICANT MATTER GIVEN THE PENALTY AMOUNT SOUGHT AND THE   NATURE OF THE VIOLATIONS -  GENERAL DUTY CLAUSE  VIOLATIONS.  ANOTHER SIMILAR CASE IS BEING LITIGATED BY DOJ AGAINST      DUPONT FOR 112R VIOLATIONS AT IT WURTLAND, KY, FACILITY.

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