# JAMES RIVER PAPER COMPANY INC
> **Judicial** · FY1994 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `288`
- **Case Number:** 01-1994-0008
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $200K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** $50K
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** Y
## Defendants
- JAMES RIVER PAPER COMPANY INC (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

THE VIOLATIONS FOR WHICH WE PROPOSE TO SEEK PENALTIES AROSE  FOR THE MOST PART OUT OF A SULFURIC ACID SPILL ON JULY 15,   1993. THE SPILLED SULFURIC ACID MIGRATED TO THE BERLIN SEWER SYSTEM AND KILLED THE BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITY AT THE PLANT BE-  CAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY LOW PH OF THE SPILLED ACID. AS A      RESULT, THE BERLIN PLANT VIOLATED THE PH LIMITS OF ITS OWN   NPDES PERMIT.                                                CWA VIOLATIONS:  THIS INCIDENT VIOLATED FEDERAL PROHIBITIONS AGAINST 1) DISCHARGES WHICH CAUSE PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT   WORKS (POTW) TO VIOLATE THEIR PERMITS, AND 2) DISCHARGES     WITH A PH LOWER THAN 5.0.                                    RCRA VIOLATIONS:  THE JULY 15, 1993 SPILL CONSTITUTED AN     ILLEGAL DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION  3005 OF RCRA.                                                CERCLA VIOLATIONS:  JAMES RIVER FAILED TO COMPLY WITH        EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS OF SECTION 103(A) CERLCA.  EPCRA VIOLATION:  JAMES RIVER FAILED TO COMPLY WITH EMERGEN- CY NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS OF SECTION 304 OF EPCRA.          IN ADDITION TO THE VIOLATIONS RESULTING FROM THE SPILL,      THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES SEPARATE VIOLATIONS OF THE FEDERAL     PRETREATMENT PH LIMIT. THE LAB AT THE PAPER MILL WAS TIED    DIRECTLY INTO THE SEWER LINE CAUSING THE PH OF THE WASTE-    WATER FROM THE ENTIRE FACILITY TO FALL BELOW FEDERAL PH      LIMIT VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY OF OPERATION.

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*