# GRACE, W.R. & COMPANY
> **Judicial** · FY1992 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `49440`
- **Case Number:** 08-1992-0537
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $510K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- W.R. GRACE & COMPANY (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

W.R. GRACE & COMPANY-CONN., INC., OWNS A DEFUNCT             TREMOLITE MINE AND ASSOCIATED PROPERTY IN LIBBY, MONTANA,    THE EXTREME NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THAT STATE.  OVER THE     COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, GRACE BEGAN DEMOLISHING        BUILDINGS AT THE MINE SITE AS AN INITIAL STEP TOWARD         RESTORING THE PROPERTY TO ITS SOMEWHAT NATURAL STATE.  IN    PARTICULAR, IN SEPTEMBER OF 1990, GRACE CLOSED ITS MILL      BUILDING WHERE IT MILLED VERMICULITE ORE, AND IT BEGAN       SELLING OFF ITS MILLING EQUIPMENT IN PREPARATION FOR         DEMOLITION OF THE MILL BUILDING.  IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER    OF 1991, GRACE DEMOLISHED ITS MILL BUILDING.  THEY PERFORMED THIS DEMOLITION BY FIRST HAVING AN ENGINEER ASSESS THE       BUILDING AND DESIGNATE AREAS TO BE WEAKENED BY BLOW TORCH.   AFTER WEAKENING THE KEY AREAS, GRACE EMPLOYEES TIED HEAVY    CABLES TO THE BUILDING, CONNECTED THE CABLES TO TWO BULL-    DOZERS, AND PUSHED AND PULLED WITH THE BULLDOZERS UNTIL THE  BUILDING COLLAPSED.  A CALL FROM A LIBBY AREA CITIZEN        TO BRENDA SOUTH, NESHAP ASBESTOES COORDINATOR, TIPPED EPA    TO THE FACT THAT 10 TO 20 WORKERS WERE PERFORMING A          DEMOLITION WITHOUT BENEFIT OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.           INSPECTIONS REVEALED LEVELS OF ASBESTOS.  THIS ACTION IS     BASED ON THE FAILURE OF GRACE TO HAVE NOTIFIED THE STATE,    AND EPA NESHAPS OF THE DEMOLITION, FAILURE TO HAVE A         REPRESENTATIVE AT THE SITE, AND RELATED NESHAP VIOLATIONS.

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