The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has disclosed an agreement with High Plains Motors, Inc. resolving alleged hazardous waste violations related to the improper management of used oil, paint solvents, lacquer thinner and other materials at an automobile dealership and service center in Wolf Point, Montana.
As part of the settlement, High Plains Motors will pay a penalty of $5,758 and complete a junk vehicle recycling project on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
“This environmental project is an example of how EPA enforcement actions can directly benefit our communities,” said Suzanne Bohan, EPA assistant regional administrator. “EPA commends High Plains Motors and Tribal leaders for their commitment to work together to safely remove dozens of abandoned vehicles on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.”
The High Plains Motors automobile dealership and service center is located on privately held land within the exterior boundaries of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. EPA inspections in July 2015 revealed that the company had violated provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by failing to label used oil containers and respond to releases of used oil at the facility. EPA inspections also found that the company failed to properly manage paint solvent waste, oil/water/antifreeze mixture, and lacquer thinner on-site. EPA issued High Plains Motors a compliance order and the company has since taken steps to secure compliance.
The agreement resolves High Plains Motors’ liability for the alleged RCRA violations by securing a penalty and a supplemental environmental project that will recycle approximately 86 abandoned vehicles on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. After seeking input from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes and EPA, High Plains Motors agreed to work with a local salvage company, Trader’s Den, to remove abandoned or inoperable vehicles on Tribal housing-owned property in the Wolf Point and Poplar areas of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. These actions will remove potential sources of pollution from the vehicles, including oil, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, gasoline, and batteries. High Plains Motors will properly dispose of or salvage all recovered materials and will deposit vehicles at a local junkyard for recycling.
Published in the November 2016 Edition of American Recycler News