LENEXA, Kan. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into a settlement with Iowa Fertilizer Company and Orascom E&C USA over alleged Clean Water Act violations, according to a press release.
The companies will pay a $80,689 penalty to resolve the charges associated with the construction of a new fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, noted the release.
An EPA Region 7 inspection in June 2014 found the site failed to comply with its stormwater permit, stated the release. Stormwater containing sediment was found to enter a tributary of the Mississippi River.
The companies did not update or amend the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan or properly inspect stormwater practices, shared the release.
Since construction sites have high potential to harm the environment, they are required to control pollution via stormwater under the Clean Water Act, reported the release. Stormwater runoff can degrade water quality, threaten aquatic habitats and impair the use of waterways.
You can find the entire release here.
