Alaska’s North Slope Borough to pay nearly $450,000 in EPA fines

Alaska’s North Slope Borough will pay a fine of nearly $450,000 according to the terms of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

According to EPA allegations, North Slope Borough did not perform required hazardous waste determinations at five waste streams in Barrow, Alaska’s, South Pad facility. The Borough also stored waste at the facility without a permit.

“Performing timely and accurate hazardous waste determinations is a keystone of the RCRA program,” EPA Region 10’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement Director Ed Kowalski said. “Waste must be evaluated by the generator so that it can be safely managed and to prevent releases that endanger human health and the environment.”

The RCRA protects public health by regulating the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. Obtaining proper permits is a critical part of the act’s regulations as they allow officials to ensure that storage facilities will not harm environmental or human health.

The settlement requires North Slope Borough to bring its waste management into compliance and pay a fine of $445,336.