UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION9IntheMatterof:



# )DocketNo.R9-2014-05 

# ))FindingandNoticeofViolationExideTechnologies



# )Vernon,California



# ) )ProceedingUnderSection113(a),



# )CleanAirAct,AsAmendedThisFindingandNoticeofViolation(“NOV”)isissuedtoExideTechnologiesforviolationsoftheCleanAirAct(“CAA”or“Act”)asamended,42U.S.C.



# §7401-7671q,atitsleadbatteryrecyclingfacilitylocatedinVernon,California(the“Facility”).TheFacilityislocatedwithinthejurisdictionoftheSouthCoastAirQualityManagementDistrict(“SCAQMD”or“District”).Section113(a)(1)oftheActrequirestheEPAAdministratortonotifyapersoninviolationofastateimplementationplan.TheauthoritytoissueNOVshasbeendelegatedtotheDirectoroftheEnforcementDivisionforEPA,RegionIx.GENERALSTATUTORYANDREGULATORYBACKGROUND1.Section110(a)oftheActrequiresthatallstatesadoptstateimplementationplans(“SIPs”)thatprovidefortheimplementation,maintenanceandenforcementofprimaryandsecondaryairqualitystandards.42U.S.C.§7410(a).2.TheFacilityislocatedwithinthejurisdictionoftheSouthCoastAirQualityManagementDistrict(“SCAQMD”or“District”).3.Aperson’sfailuretocomplywithanyapprovedregulatoryprovisionofaSIPrendersthepersonsubjecttoenforcementundersection113oftheAct.42U.S.C.§7413(a)(1);40C.F.R.§52.23.SCAQMD-Rule1420.1,asadoptedNovember5,20104..Inaccordancewithsection110oftheAct,EPAapprovedRule1420.1(“EmissionStandardforLeadfromLargeLead-AcidBatteryRecyclingFacilities”),asadoptedbytheDistrictonNovember5,2010,intoSCAQMD’sportionoftheCaliforniaSIP.78Fed.Reg.5305(Jan.25,2013).5.Section1420.1(b)statesthattheprovisionsoftheruleapplytoallpersonswhoownoroperatealeadacidbatteryrecyclingfacilitythathasprocessedmorethan50,000tonsofleadayearinanycalendaryearpriortoNovember5,2010,orannuallythereafter.‘6.Section1420.1(d)(2)specifiesthatonandafterJanuary1,2012,theowneroroperatorofalargeleadacidbatteryrecyclingfacilityissubjecttoarequirementthatprohibitsemissionsthatcontributetoambientairconcentrationsthatexceed0.15g/m3averagedoverany30consecutivedays.Section1420.1(b)(2)furtherspecifiesthatambientcOncentrationsofleadshallbedeterminedbymonitorspursuanttoSection1420.1(j)oratanyDistrict-installedmonitor.7.Section1420.1(j)requirestheowneroroperatorofalargelead-acidbatteryrecyclingfacilitytoconductambientairmonitoringandsamplingataminimumoffoursamplingsitesapprovedbytheExecutiveOfficeroftheDistrict.Section1420.1(j)furtherspecifiesthatthelocationsofthese,monitorsshallbeatorbeyondthepropertyline.FINDINGSOFFACT8.ExideTechnologiesistheownerand/oroperatoroftheFacility,locatedat2700SouthIndianaStreetinVernon,California.TheFacilityisasecondaryleadsmelterthatrecyclesleadbatteriesandotherlead-bearingscrapmaterials.9.ExideTechnologiesoperatesmonitoringequipmenttomeasurelevelsofleadinambientairatvariouslocationsatorjustbeyondtheFacilitypropertyline,includingbutnotlimitedto:(i)theRailyard2monitor;(ii)theSoutheast(SE)monitor;(iii)theSouthwest(SW)monitor;(iv)theNortheast(NE)monitor;(v)theOn-siteNorth(OSN)monitor,andthe(vi)MDmonitor.10.OnoraboutSeptember9,2013,emissionsfromtheFacilityexceededthestandardinSection1420.1(d)(2)asmeasuredattheNEmonitor.11.OnoraboutSeptember18,2013,emissionsfromtheFacilityexceededthestandardinSection1420.1(d)(2)asmeasuredattheOSNmonitor.12.OnoraboutJanuary2throughJanuary3,2014,emissionsfromtheFacilityexceededthestandardinSection1420.l(d)(2)asmeasuredattheOSNmonitor.13.OnoraboutMarch22throughApril19,2014,emissionsfromtheFacilityexceededthestandardinSection1420.1(d)(2)asmeasuredattheNEmonitor.FINDINGOFVIOLATIONFindingofFailuretoComplywithRule1420.1Onthedatesnotedabove,ExideTechnologiesviolatedRule1420.1byallowingemissionsinexcessof0.15jig/rn3averagedover30daysasmeasuredbymonitorsinstalledandoperatedpursuanttoSection1420.1(j).NOTICEOFVIOLATIONNoticeisgiventoExideTechnologiesthattheAdministratoroftheUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,byauthoritydulydelegatedtotheundersigned,findsthatExideTechnologieshasviolatedsection110oftheAct,theCaliforniaSIP,andSCAQMDRule1420.1,assetforthintheFindingofViolation.ENFORCEMENTSection113(a)(1)oftheActprovidesthatwhenanypersonhasviolatedanyrequirementorprohibitionofanapplicableimplementationplanorpermit,EPAmay:-issueanorderrequiringcompliancewiththerequirementsorprohibitionofsuch3

# implementation

plan

or permit,

or-



# issue

an administrative

penalty

order pursuant

to section

113(d)

for civil administrative penalties

of

up

to $37,500

per

day

of violation,

or-



# bring

a civil action pursuant

to section

113(b)

for injunctive

relief andlor

civil penalties

of not more

than $37,500

per

day

for each violation. Furthermore,

if

a person knowingly

violates

any requirements

of

an applicable implementation plan more

than

30 days

after notification

of violation,

section

113(c) provides

for criminal penalties

or imprisonment,

or both. Under

section

306(a)

of the Act,

the regulations promulgated

thereunder

(2 C.F.R.

Parts

180

and 1532),

and Executive

Order

11738, facilities

to

be used

in federal contracts,

grants,

and loans

must

be

in full compliance

with

the

Act

and

all regulations promulgated

pursuant

to

it. Violations

of the

Act

may •

result

in the facility

being declared ineligible

for participation

in any federal contract,

grant,

or loan..4,.-•.



# PENALTY ASSESSMENT

CRITERIA Section

1 13(e)(1)

of the

Act states

that

the Administrator

or the court,

as appropriate,

shall,

in determining

the amount

of any penalty

to

be assessed,

take

into consideration

(in addition

to such other factors

as justice

may require)

the

size

of the business,

the economic

impact

of the penalty

on

the business, the violator’s

full compliance

history

and good

faith efforts

to comply,

the duration

of the violation

as established

by any credible evidence (including

evidence

other

than

the applicable

test method),

payment by

the violator

of penalties previously

assessed

for

the same violation,

the economic

benefit

of noncompliance,

arid

the seriousness

of the violation. Section

1 13(e)(2)

of the

Act allows

the Administrator

or the court

to assess

a penalty

for each

day of violation.

For

the purposes

of determining

the number

of days

of violation,

where

the EPA makes

a prima

facie showing

that

the conduct

or events

giving

rise

to this violation

are likely

to have continued

or recurred

past

the date

of this NOV.

the days

of violation

shall

be presumed

to include

the date

of this NOV 4

# and each

and every

day thereafter

until

the violator establishes

that continuous
compliance

has been achieved,

except

to the extent

that

the violator

can prove

by

the preponderance

of the evidence

that there were intervening

days during

which

no violation

occurred

or that

the violation

was

not continuing

in nature.

OPPORTUNITY

FOR CONFERENCE Exide Technologies

may,

upon request,

confer

with EPA.

The conference

will enable

Exide Technologies

to present evidence

bearing

on

the finding

of violation,

the nature

of the violations,

and

any efforts

it may

have taken

or proposes

to take

to achieve compliance.

Exide Technologies

has

the right

to be represented

by counsel.

A request

for

a conference

with

EPA

must

be made within

ten (10) working days

of receipt

of this NOV.

The request

for

a conference

or other inquiries concerning

the NOV should be made

in writing

to:

Kara Christenson Office

of Regional

Counsel

(ORC-2) U.S. Environmental

Protection

Agency 75 Hawthorne

Street San Francisco,

California

94105 (415)972-3881 christenson.karaepa.gov 

# 5kz% Date

Kath

en

H. John Director, Enforcement

Division 5