Clean Water News

 

Groups Call For Enforcement Of The Clean Water Act

As the new home of NCPIRG's environmental work, Environment North Carolina can be contacted with any questions regarding this news release. 

Over 1 in 5 of the state's largest industrial and municipal facilities were in serious violation of the Clean Water Act at least once during a recent 15-month period, according to a report released today by NCPIRG, Clean Water Fund of North Carolina, and Haw River Watch. Polluters' Playground: How the Government Permits Pollution describes many shortcomings in the monitoring of water pollution and efforts to deter polluters.

Governor Easley has previously committed to strengthening enforcement of water pollution permits through the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC-DENR). In the face of the state's budget shortfall, resources for environmental enforcement are in jeopardy.

"When over 1 in 5 facilities polluting NC waters are breaking the law, we should be strengthening enforcement, not weakening it." commented Elizabeth Ouzts of NCPIRG. "We need clean water now, and we have to start by requiring polluters to obey the law," continued Ouzts.

NCPIRG staff analyzed the behavior of water polluters in the state by reviewing violations of the Clean Water Act between October of 1998 and December of 1999, recorded in the U.S. EPA's Permit Compliance System database, obtained by NCPIRG's national office under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Other key findings of the report include:

• 48 North Carolina facilities were in Significant Non-Compliance (SNC) with their Clean Water Act permits for excessive discharges, failure to file reports or keep to compliance schedules. NC ranks 12th among the states in the number of major facilities in SNC.

• 18% of the state's industrial facilities were in SNC during the 15 month period studied.

• 26% of the state's municipal facilities were in SNC during the period studied.

• 64% of the North Carolina facilities in Significant Violation of the Clean Water Act for the period were wastewater treatment plants. These plants are in the following municipalities: Cramerton, Williamston, Clinton, Gastonia, Mount Olive, Boone, Spindale, Kings Mountain-Pilot Creek, Bessemer City, Tryon, Whiteville, Wilson, Lenoir, Thomasville, High Point-East Side, High Point-City, Monroe, Reidsville, Oxford, Waynesville, Randleman, Hendersonville, Rutherfordton, Tabor City, Durham County-Triangle, Hillsborough, Raeford, Pilot Mountain, Butner, Fuquay-Varina, Greensboro, and Robbins.

• Four municipal wastewater treatment plants-from the municipalities of Reidsville, Tabor City, Waynesville, and Wilson-were in Significant Noncompliance for all 5 quarters during the period.

"North Carolina's rivers, lakes, and streams should not serve as sewers for the polluters, whether private industries or publicly owned wastewater plants", said Kevin Meehan, River Watch Director for Haw River Assembly.

In September 2000, an Environmental Protection Agency audit revealed that the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC-DENR) has failed in previous years to enforce permits in a timely manner, levy sufficient penalties to keep polluters from profiting from pollution, clamp down on repeat violators, or properly permit livestock feeding operations.

As a result of the EPA audit, and under pressure from several local and statewide citizens' groups, NC-DENR committed to improve many of these practices beginning July 1, 2001. Without firm commitment to enforcement or adequate resources, NC-DENR will be unable to protect NC streams and rivers.

To increase compliance with permits and move toward the zero-discharge goals of the Clean Water Act, the groups call for:

1) Tough fines. NC-DENR should set penalties that prevent polluters from profiting by breaking the law and deter lawbreaking in the first place.

2) Holding Chronic Polluters Accountable. The Environmental Management Commission and NC-DENR should establish strict, non-negotiable compliance schedules for repeat violators.

3) Citizens should have full access to compliance information and the courts. Obstacles to right-to-know and citizen suits must be removed, so that citizens can be fully aware of permit violators and they can file suit if needed to enforce the law.

"We urge Governor Easley and the NC General Assembly to listen to the public's demands for clean water. Water that is safe for swimming, fishing and drinking is a basic human right, requiring strict enforcement of the law," said Hope Taylor of the Clean Water Fund of NC.