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FIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES VOLUNTARILY DISCLOSE AND CORRECT MORE THAN 3,400 ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS
Release Date: 10/19/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, OCT. 19, 2000
FIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES VOLUNTARILY DISCLOSE AND CORRECT MORE THAN 3,400 ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS
Five telecommunications companies have voluntarily disclosed and promptly corrected 3,457 environmental violations that occurred at 1,122 of their facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. These settlements commit the companies to comply with right-to-know requirements that help identify potential environmental hazards, to protect emergency personnel responding to accidents, and to take steps to prevent accidental spills of oil or hazardous chemicals. The proposed settlements were reached under EPA’s Audit Policy, which allows the Agency to reduce or eliminate penalties for companies that voluntarily audit, promptly disclose and correct violations. Under the proposed settlements, the companies will pay a total of $329,426, which is the amount they saved by delaying compliance with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA); the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) requirements; the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The companies and their violations include: AirTouch Communications, Inc.: EPCRA and SPCC; AT&T Corp.: EPCRA and SPCC; AT& T Broadband, LLC: EPCRA and SPCC; NEXTLINK Communication, Inc.: EPCRA, SPCC, CAA, and RCRA; and Qwest Communications International, Inc.: EPCRA, SPCC and CAA. Remedial actions for these companies’ violations include notifying local emergency planning committees of the presence of hazardous chemicals, preparing spill prevention plans, applying for permits to construct or install standby generators, maintaining records for appliances containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant, repairing refrigerant leaks from heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, and obtaining a letter of financial assurance demonstrating financial responsibility for corrective action or damage caused by sudden accidental releases from underground storage tanks. Notices of the proposed settlements were published in the Federal Register on: Sept. 25 for NEXTLINK; and Oct. 16 for AirTouch. They will be published during the week of Oct. 23 for AT& T Corp., AT&T Broadband, LLC, and Qwest Communications International, Inc. There is a 30-day public comment period. Settlements of EPCRA, CAA and RCRA violations are not subject to public review and comments. The settlements must be approved by the Environmental Appeals Board.
R-157 ###
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