St. Helens, Ore.-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Dyno Nobel Inc. have reached a settlement over what the agency says was failure to report in a timely manner the release of approximately 448 pounds of ammonia from the company’s Deer Island, Ore., ammonia and nitric acid manufacturing facility. According to EPA, Dyno Nobel will pay $17,000 in penalties, $56,000 to install an ammonia monitoring system for improved leak detection at the Deer Island plant, and over $16,000 for emergency response equipment for Columbia River Fire & Rescue. This equipment will improve the department’s capabilities in responding to hazardous materials emergencies in a safe and effective manner. EPA says Dyno Nobel didn’t notify the appropriate emergency response entities until approximately 11 hours after the release occurred last Sept. 29. CERCLA and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act require that releases of hazardous substances such as ammonia above a reportable level be reported immediately.
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