U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice have reached a settlement between the United States and the State of Michigan and R.J. Torching, Inc. (RJ) to resolve Clean Air Act (CAA) violations at the company?s facilities in Flint and Battle Creek, Michigan. The parties have agreed to a Consent Decree requiring that RJ complete construction of a new air pollution capture and control system, which is expected to significantly reduce particulate matter emissions from the facility. The company has also agreed to pay a $150,000 civil penalty to resolve its alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
In 2015, EPA issued an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to RJ Torching to address excess emissions from torch-cutting at the Flint Facility and a second facility located in Battle Creek, Michigan. Torch-cutting is the use of torches supplied with fuel gas and oxygen to cut large pieces of scrap metal. This process can generate significant amounts of pollution in the form of inhalable particulate matter that can lead to a variety of health problems. Since the agreement, EPA and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy have continued to issue numerous violation notices related to excess emissions from torch-cutting at both the Flint and Battle Creek facilities. This case was referred to the Department of Justice in 2018 to resolve the violations through a Consent Decree. In 2019, the company shut down the Battle Creek facility, and i