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Carlo Ditta, Inc. Fined for Violating the Clean Water Act

Release Date: 09/21/2009
Contact Information: Dave Bary at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – September 21, 2009) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Carlo Ditta, Inc. of New Orleans, Louisiana, $2,250 for violating federal Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act. A federal inspection of bulk storage facilities located at 1585 Techoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, and 1445 MacArthur Avenue, Harvey, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, on May 22, 2009, revealed the facilities SPCC plans did not conform to federal requirements, had inadequate or no information and procedures for reporting an oil spill, inadequate or no description and procedures to use when oil spills occur, and inadequate or no prediction of equipment failure which would result in discharges. Personnel working at the sites had no training on the operation and maintenance of equipment to prevent discharges, no training on discharge procedure protocols, and spill prevention briefings were not scheduled and conducted periodically. The inspections also revealed the facilities SPCC plans had inadequate or no discussion of site security, site drainage, or bulk storage tanks. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facilities have provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.

SPCC regulations require onshore oil production or bulk storage facilities to provide oil spill prevention, preparedness and response to prevent oil discharges. The SPCC program helps protect our nation’s water quality. A spill of only one gallon of oil can contaminate one million gallons of water.

Additional information on SPCC regulations is available at https://www.epa.gov/oilspill

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/sep2009.html