Kansas City, Kan.-EPA Region 7 has disclosed that International Minerals Technology LLC of The Woodlands, Tex., has agreed to pay a $30,000 civil penalty to settle allegations of clean water act violations at its Tetra Micronutrients production facility in Fairbury, Neb., which produces zinc and manganese fertilizers and feed supplements. According to an administrative complaint and consent agreement filed in Kansas City, a March 2009 inspection found that Tetra Micronutrients exceeded the effluent limits of its stormwater permit for the years 2005 through 2009. Tetra Micronutrients’ facility also violated inspection and review requirements of its stormwater pollution prevention plan, the inspection found. Runoff from the Tetra Micronutrients facility reportedly contained pollutants, including cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, which can harm or kill fish and wildlife and impact the quality of drinking water. The company recently installed a containment basin to capture stormwater runoff to prevent the discharge of pollutants. Captured stormwater is then used as part of the company’s production process.
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