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New Hampshire Municipality Fined for Clean Water Violations

Release Date: 02/27/2008
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, (617) 918-1027

(Boston, Mass. - Feb. 27, 2008) - The town of Atkinson, New Hampshire has been fined for violating the federal Clean Water Act (CWA).

Atkinson paid a penalty of $3,500 for discharging storm water into a number of tributaries of the Spicket River and Little River without submitting its annual report to EPA as required by an EPA issued permit to discharge storm water. Both rivers ultimately flow into the Merrimack River. Atkinson submitted the overdue reports in response to an EPA Administrative Order.

Towns that are permitted to discharge storm water to waters of the United States are required to submit an annual report evaluating the status of permit compliance by May 1st of each year. Atkinson initially failed to submit the annual reports due in 2006 and in 2007.

EPA New England has taken a series of enforcement actions to enforce the requirements of the General Permit for Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Small MS4 Pemit). A number of municipalities have paid penalties for violations of the Small MS4 Permit.

More Information:

EPA Clean Water Enforcement in New England (epa.gov/region1/enforcement/water)

EPA storm water issues in New England (epa.gov/region1/topics/water/stormwater)

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