Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/506/902/1654285/
Timestamp: 2019-10-19 07:04:07
Document Index: 45538670

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1251', '§ 1365', '§ 1342', '§ 123', '§ 1311', '§ 1251', '§ 1311']

PYMATUNING WATER SHED CITIZENS, ETC. v. Eaton, 506 F. Supp. 902 (W.D. Pa. 1980) :: Justia
Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › District Courts › Pennsylvania › Western District of Pennsylvania › 1980 › PYMATUNING WATER SHED CITIZENS, ETC. v. Eaton
PYMATUNING WATER SHED CITIZENS, ETC. v. Eaton, 506 F. Supp. 902 (W.D. Pa. 1980)
US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania - 506 F. Supp. 902 (W.D. Pa. 1980)
506 F. Supp. 902 (1980)
Bert EATON, Frank Arey, Robert Hutton, Ralph Robison, John Schutzbach and Ronald Staab as members of the Board of the North and South Shenango Joint Municipal Authority and the North and South Shenango Joint Municipal Authority, Defendants.
Civ. A. No. 79-70 B Erie.
*903 John Adams, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., for plaintiff.
Paul D. Shafer, Jr., Meadville, Pa., for defendants.
Plaintiff brought suit against the defendants, basing jurisdiction on the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) (Clean Water Act), 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., for allegedly discharging sewage sludge and other sewage material into the Shenango River and its tributaries. Plaintiff sought preliminary and permanent injunctive relief against the defendants named herein, several contractors, North Shenango Township, South Shenango Township, and the members of the Board of the North and South Shenango Joint Municipal Authority in their individual capacities for violations of the Clean Water Act. A hearing on plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction commenced on June 20, 1979 and, at the conclusion of the hearing on June 22, 1979, the Court denied plaintiff's motion "for the present but with liberty to the plaintiff at any time evidence of [statutory violations] is developed to bring the matter again to the attention of the Court." (Notes, 311). The Court granted motions to dismiss or for summary judgment in favor of the contractors, the Townships, and the members of the Board of the North and South Shenango Joint Municipal Authority in their individual capacities for lack of personal and subject matter jurisdiction. On May 21, 1980, the case was tried to the court nonjury. We have carefully reviewed the evidence introduced during the three days of trial and the arguments of counsel and, therefore, the case is now ripe for adjudication. In accordance with Rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, we make the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.
On October 30, 1974, the Authority retained Northwest Engineering, Inc. of Tidioute, Pennsylvania to prepare plans and specifications, and apply for the necessary grants and loans for the sewage system. The system is designed to service portions of North and South Shenango Townships, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, extending from Espyville on the north to the outskirts of Jamestown Borough on the south and from the Penn Central Railroad tracks *904 westerly to the Pymatuning Reservoir shoreline. The drainage basin for most of this area is the Pymatuning Reservoir and a small portion of South Shenango Township drains into the Crooked Creek drainage system. These basins are, in turn, part of the larger Shenango River drainage basin.
Surface water from pavements, area and roof drains, and flooded manhole covers frequently enters the system in violation of Conditions 5, 8, and 16 of the DER permit and in violation of Condition 16 of the Standard Conditions Relating to Erosion Control of the DER permit.[1] On September 14, 1979, December 24-25, 1979, January 11, 1980, and February 22, 1980, the flow of sewage through the system significantly exceeded the estimated flow per day because of excessive inflow. As a result of the inflow which occurs generally during periods of heavy rainfall, there have been numerous discharges of raw or untreated sewage into the Shenango River and its tributaries. On December 25, 1979 and February 22, 1980, the flow records indicate that the holding capacity of the tanks at the treating facility had been exceeded. Overflows and surcharging have occurred at pump stations I-2, I-3, I-6, C-2, C-4, C-5, C-8, C-12, C-13, and C-17 at various times in July, August and September of 1979. Overflows and flooding are likely to occur in the future unless substantial corrective measures are taken.
During periods of heavy rainfall, excessive infiltration of the system has occurred in violation of Conditions 3, 4, 8, and 16 of the DER permit and Condition 6 of the Standard Conditions Relating to Erosion Control of the DER permit.[2] Infiltration is *905 water which leaks from the ground into the sewer through such sources as broken pipes, defective joints, and leaky manhole barrels. A report of the inspections of selected manholes conducted by the engineering firm of Betz, Converse, Murdoch, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, revealed that the sagging of the pipe lines and the separation of the joints resulted from poor construction. The firm reported that the pipe bedding and backfill was improperly placed, and settlement occurred in the trenches, thereby causing the lines to sag and the joints to separate. The firm further concluded that most of the leaky joints were associated with clay pipe. As a result of excessive infiltration, raw or untreated sewage has been discharged into the Shenango River and its tributaries during periods of heavy rainfall.
"The grout used on this job was a polyacrylamide gel commonly known by its trade name `AM-9.' The system has three components, the monomer, the catalyst and the initiator. The monomer and catalyst are powders which are dissolved in water to form a 10% monomer solution. The initiator is dissolved in water separately. When the monomer-catalyst solution is mixed with the initiator solution they quickly react to form a semi-solid rubbery material called a gel. The time for gel formation can be controlled by adjusting the concentrations of the chemicals. It is also influenced by temperature.
The most serious adverse condition is dehydration. The gel is composed of about 90% water and 10% polymer and will maintain its rubbery consistency only as long as this water is not lost. When surrounded by and saturated with water the gel remains intact and continues to provide a good seal. This would be the case in a location where the water table is always above the pipe. On the other hand, if the water table ever drops below the pipe and the soil is no longer saturated with moisture, the grout may begin to dry out and could shrink and crack. If the water table would rise again the grout would partially rehydrate and swell but cracks previously formed would usually not heal completely. These cracks could then provide channels for water to find its way into the joint again. Additional cycles of dehydration and rehydration would tend to form more and larger cracks and could ultimately, over the years, lead to the complete failure of the *906 seal. Drying out of the gel may be delayed by the addition of moisturizing agents such as calcium chloride."
(B) if the Administrator or State has commenced and is diligently prosecuting a civil or criminal action in a court of the United States, or a State to require compliance with the standard, limitation, or order, but in any such *907 action in a court of the United States any citizen may intervene as a matter of right.
(f) For purposes of this section, the term "effluent standard of limitation under this chapter" means (1) effective July 1, 1973, an unlawful act under subsection (a) of section 1311 of this title; (2) an effluent limitation or other limitation under section 1311 or 1312 of this title; (3) standard of performance under section 1316 of this title; (4) prohibition, effluent standard or pretreatment standards under section 1317 of this title; (5) certification under section 1341 of this title; or (6) a permit or condition thereof issued under section 1342 of this title, which is in effect under this chapter (including a requirement applicable by reason of section 1323 of this title).
Section 505 of the Clean Water Act authorizes any citizen to commence a civil action on his own behalf against any person, including a municipal governmental agency, who is alleged to be in violation of effluent standards or limitations under the Clean Water Act, or in violation of a compliance order issued by the Administrator or by the state with respect to a standard or limitation. The United States District Court is expressly given jurisdiction, without regard to the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties, to enforce effluent standards. Actions under the citizen action provision must be brought in the judicial district in which the source is located which is alleged to have violated an effluent standard, limitation, or order. Before a citizen may bring an action as authorized, he must give 60 days' notice to the Administrator and to the state in which the alleged violation occurred. He must also give notice to any violator of the alleged standard or order. The 60-day notice requirement is absolute on its face and is a *908 jurisdictional requirement. We have previously held that plaintiff has complied with the notice provision.
Plaintiff has alleged violations of several conditions contained in Water Quality Management Permit No. 2075402 issued by the Department of Environmental Resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. § 1365(f) (6) provides that all dischargers may be sued to enforce permit conditions, whether these conditions arise from standards and limitations promulgated by the Administrator or from stricter standards established by a state under section 402 of the Clean Water Act. 33 U.S.C. § 1342. Environmental Protection Agency v. California, 426 U.S. 200, 96 S. Ct. 2022, 48 L. Ed. 2d 578 (1976). Under section 402(b), a State may issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit "for discharge[rs] into navigable waters within its jurisdiction," upon EPA approval of the State's proposal to administer its own program. Pursuant to the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and the EPA, the Commonwealth is authorized to administer the NPDES permit program. See 40 C.F.R. § 123.1 et seq.
We have found that the defendants have violated several of the conditions of the permit issued pursuant to an authorized NPDES permit program. The excessive inflow and infiltration will continue to result in discharges of raw or untreated sewage into the Shenango River and its tributaries. The evidence clearly shows that grouting failed to correct the infiltration problem. Whether defendants complied with the terms of their application for permit or the project specifications as they assert does not excuse them from fulfilling the conditions of the permit. It is well established that defendants must employ the "best practicable control technology currently available" in meeting the requirements of a NPDES permit. 33 U.S.C. § 1311(b) (1); Marathon Oil Co. v. Environmental Protection Agency, 564 F.2d 1253 (9th Cir. 1977). Further, the permit provides that "If there is a conflict between the application or its supporting documents and amendments and the standard or special conditions, the standard or special conditions shall apply."
Like any court of equity, the district court has very broad power to fashion a remedy appropriate to deal with the factual situation before the court. Lewis v. Kugler, 446 F.2d 1343 (3d Cir. 1971). Where an injunction will require federal interference with local government administration, *909 equitable relief must be specifically tailored to the specific violations shown. Schweiker v. Gordon, 442 F. Supp. 1134 (E.D.Pa.1977); Commonwealth v. Porter, 480 F. Supp. 686 (W.D.Pa.1979).
In order to effectuate the purpose of the Clean Water Act, namely to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the nation's waters, 33 U.S.C. § 1251(a), defendants are directed to utilize the "best control technology currently available" to attain compliance with the conditions of the NPDES permit. 33 U.S.C. § 1311(b) (1). Defendants must be given a reasonable opportunity and a reasonable time to accomplish an abatement of the excessive inflow and infiltration and resulting discharges of raw or untreated sewage into the Shenango River and its tributaries. We cannot now precisely measure this time. The potential for harm in the Authority's discharges does not impart a degree of urgency that would otherwise be found where, in addition to ecological pollution, health risks were proved. Reserve Mining Co. v. Environmental Protection Agency, 514 F.2d 492, 537-538 (8th Cir. 1975). Accordingly, we direct the defendants to submit to the Court, within 90 days from the date of this Order, a written proposal containing the plans necessary to bring the system into compliance with the conditions of the permit. The Court will retain jurisdiction of this action pending a review of defendants' proposal.
[1] The Standard Conditions provide, as follows:
FIVE: No storm water from pavements, area ways, roofs, foundation drains or other sources shall be admitted to the sanitary sewers herein approved.
[2] The Standard Conditions provide, as follows: