The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Agri Star Meat & Poultry, of Postville, Iowa, to resolve allegations of industrial stormwater violations under the Clean Water Act.
Under the settlement, Agri Star must comply with its industrial stormwater permit and pay a penalty of $43,000.
EPA conducted investigations in March 2015 found that Agri Star allegedly failed to comply with its industrial stormwater permit, including failure to:
- Develop and update an adequate stormwater pollution prevention plan
- Implement best management practices to reduce the amount of pollutants in stormwater
- Perform facility inspections
- Conduct annual comprehensive site compliance evaluations
- Conduct visual stormwater monitoring
- Conduct employee training
Stormwater from Agri Star discharges into Hecker Creek, which is a losing stream and tributary to the Yellow River.
Administrative order from EPA
Under an administrative compliance order issued in August 2016, Agri Star is addressing each of the violations to bring the facility into compliance with its industrial stormwater permit.
Actions detailed in the compliance order include:
- Installing and maintaining adequate control measures and best management practices
- Performing site evaluations of the implemented best management practices
- Updating and implementing sampling procedures; conducting employee training
- Updating and implementing an adequate stormwater pollution prevention plan.
The settlement is subject to a 40-day public comment period before it becomes final. The public comment period began Sept. 29, 2016. Information on how to submit comments is available online.
