5-13-2021 CAA 303 EMERGENCY ORDER - NO PENALTY
ALLEGED VIOLATIONS:
RESPONDENT IS CAUSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE EMISSION OF AIR POLLUTANTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTIONS 302(G) AND 303 OF THE ACT, 42 U.S.C. ?? 7602(G) AND 7603, BY EMITTING HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM THE FACILITY INTO THE AMBIENT AIR.
EPA IS IN RECEIPT OF EVIDENCE THAT THE FACILITY' S OPERATIONS ARE EMITTING HYDROGEN SULFIDE INTO THE AMBIENT AIR, AND THAT OPERATING THE FACILITY , AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, IF ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, IS PRESENTING AN IMMINENT AND SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR WELFARE OR THE ENVIRONMENT.
EPA FIELD SAMPLING PERSONNEL, DHEC PERSONNEL, AND THE PUBLIC HAVE REPORTED EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH ELEVATED HYDROGEN SULFIDE EXPOSURES. AMONG THE EPA FIELD SAMPLING PERSONNEL, THE HEALTH IMPACTS OCCURRED AT TIMES WHEN, AND LOCATIONS WHERE, THE HIGHEST HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONCENTRATIONS WERE MEASURED, AND RESOLVED SOON AFTER THE WORKERS LEFT THE AREAS WITH NOTICEABLE ODORS. ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, COMBINED WITH THE AEGL-1 DOCUMENTED EXCEEDANCES, PROVIDES COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT EMISSIONS FROM THE RESPONDENT' S FACILITY ARE CAUSING ADVERSE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE IMPACTS AMONG EXPOSED POPULATIONS.