Interprint Agrees to $385,000 in Pollution Consent Decree
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Interprint Inc. has agreed to spend $385,000 to settle air pollution allegations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.A fine of $80,000 has been set by the Department of Justice for failing to obtain a "New Source Review" permit for its new building in 2004 and operating it the following year without the review standards, in violation of the Clean Air Act. The requirements relate to emissions of volatile organic compounds, or VOC, Title V operating permit requirements and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Printing and Publishing Facilities.
According to the consent decree in U.S. District Court, the company will also have to spend $305,000 over the next two years sponsoring a wood stove change-out program to encourage residents in Western Massachusetts to obtain cleaner-burning stoves. Interprint is required to provide information and financial incentives to homeowners through air pollution control and appropriate nonprofit agencies.
The program will allow residents to replace older hydronic or outdoor wood boilers with EPA-approved Phase II hydronic heaters and pre-1988 wood stoves with EPA-certified wood stoves.
The company, which prints home decor and laminate finishes, has to reduce its VOC emissions by 20 tons over the next two years to mitigate past excesses. Interprint has chosed to accomplish the reduction by reformulating its coatings to lower VOC contents, by purchasing and retiring VOC or NOx ozone season Emission Reduction Credits, or by a combination of both measures.
At the end of the two years, the company has 60 days to submit a report to the EPA detailing what measures it has taken and calculations of the reducations achieved, among other reporting requirements.
The consent decree can be found here in pdf format.
