The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reached an agreement with an auto dealer, warehouser and scrap metal seller based in Brockton, Massachusetts for alleged Clean Water Act violations. Everett’s Auto Parts, Inc. has agreed to come into compliance and pay a penalty of $74,551 as a result of the EPA’s action.
In August 2022, the EPA conducted an inspection of Everett’s Auto Parts three co-located facilities in Brockton and East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
As part of its industrial operations, Everett’s Auto Parts discharges stormwater to water of the United States and is therefore subject to EPA’s Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity (MSGP).
Everett’s Auto Parts has an aboveground oil tank storage capacity that subjects it to the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation as well.
The company had authorization to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity from its facility under three separate MSGP permits at the time of the EPA’s inspection.
The EPA alleged that while the company had coverage to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity under these permits, it failed to list its scrap metal activities under the permit, which requires additional sampling parameters.
The EPA also alleged that the company failed to identify all discharge points, or outfalls, and to conduct sufficient monitoring efforts. The EPA alleged that Everett’s Auto Parts failed to fully implement its Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan including failing to have adequate secondary containment for its storage tanks.
