Clearwater Paper receives EPA fine of US$367,088
The agency issued penalties to the company’s Lewiston facility for reporting lapses related to chlorine emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that Clearwater Paper’s Lewiston, Idaho facility, will face a combined penalty of US$367,088 for failing to report chlorine emissions.
The fines stem from the company’s inadequate reporting of hazardous chlorine releases that occurred in 2019, 2020 and 2021. According to the EPA, unexpected chlorine gas releases at the Lewiston plant led to hundreds of pounds of the chemical being released into the atmosphere. Some of these incidents prompted evacuations at the facility and led to employees seeking medical attention due to prolonged exposure.
“Communities and first responders near facilities using deadly chemicals have a need and a legal right to know when releases occur”, said Ed Kowalski, EPA Region 10 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance director. “These are not simple paperwork issues; the safety of workers, first responders, and residents’ rests on a company’s compliance with these requirements”.
The penalties included US$84,769 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and US$237,319 under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). These fines were imposed due to the company’s failure to promptly notify officials and provide timely follow-up reports on the releases. Additionally, Clearwater Paper has been fined US$45,000 under EPCRA for not reporting the releases in its annual Toxics Release Inventory report.
