The latest letter from EPA On Scene Coordinator Michelle Rogow dated April 14 addressed to CUC Executive Director Abe Malau was docketed at the U.S. District Court for the NMI as part of the ongoing progress for the two federal stipulated orders that CUC must comply with.
“EPA was informed by the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality that CUC was conducting the open burning of oil soaked rags, used oil filters, electrical cables, oil contaminated wood and mixed industrial waste on April 11, 2011 at Power plants 1 and 2 facilities, causing the release of hazardous substances to the environment,” Rogow told Malae.
Rogow said those activities are not sanctioned by EPA or DEQ as she ordered CUC to stop the practice immediately.
“CUC must immediately cease the open burning of these materials, conduct adequate and appropriate cleanup of the burned area and properly dispose of oil contaminated wastes and wastes generated from its operations,” she said.
She also told CUC it must provide a notice to EPA Region 9 about the incident.
“In addition, CUC needs to submit an incident report which documents when this activity began, the duration of the activity, what materials and the quantities of materials that were involved in the open burning, how much material was consumed, what material remains and a mitigation and disposal plan for the materials which remain,” she wrote.
EPA has previously cited CUC for numerous environmental violations at its wastewater and power facilities.
