Hanover Foods faces $1.15M penalty, treatment upgrades under proposed Clean Water Act settlement

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, have announced a proposed consent decree with Hanover Foods Corporation over alleged long-term Clean Water Act violations at the company’s Hanover, Pennsylvania, wastewater treatment facility.

Under the settlement, Hanover Foods would pay a $1.15 million civil penalty and implement a series of upgrades aimed at bringing the facility back into compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

“Ensuring that Hanover Foods takes the necessary steps to prevent the release of nutrients and other pollutants underscores the EPA’s commitment to protecting our nation’s waterways,” said Craig Pritzlaff, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, in a press release. “The measures outlined in the consent decree are essential for bringing Hanover’s facility into compliance with the Clean Water Act.”

The complaint alleges more than 600 permit violations since 2016, including exceedances for suspended solids, ammonia nitrogen, and phosphorus. Inspectors also documented failures in operations and maintenance at the facility, which treats industrial wastewater from Hanover’s food processing operations before discharging to Oil Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

“Hanover Foods allegedly failed to properly treat industrial wastes at its wastewater treatment facility, jeopardizing human health and the environment,” said Adam Gustafson, principal deputy assistant attorney general for DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, in a press release. “If accepted by the court, the consent decree will hold the company accountable and help ensure it continues to upgrade its facility.”

Under the proposed settlement, Hanover must install new treatment equipment, enhance nutrient and temperature control, add a permanent boiler to stabilize treatment processes, maintain spare-parts programs to prevent downtime, and strengthen operations, maintenance, and monitoring protocols.

The proposed consent decree has been lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is open to a 30-day public comment period before final approval.