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EPA Takes Steps To Ensure That Puerto Rico Facilities Are Better Prepared For Next Hurricane

Release Date: 02/08/1999
Contact Information: Mary Mears (212) 637-3669 / [email protected]

(#99018) San Juan, Puerto Rico -- Hurricanes can be devastating, but Island companies can and should take steps to be better prepared for them, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, in an effort to underscore this point, EPA issued complaints against four facilities for their failure to take appropriate action before and during Hurricane Georges. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, Lilly del Caribe, El Morro Corrugated Box Corporation and Caribbean Petroleum Refining face a combined total of $266,750 in fines for violating emergency response rules. During settlement negotiations in these type of cases, EPA often encourages companies to undertake projects called Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs), which benefit communties put at risk due to environmental violations. Past SEPs have resulted in companies providing emergency response equipment and training to local health and safety authorities.

"Unfortunately, hurricanes are a fact of life in Puerto Rico," said Jeanne M. Fox, EPA Region 2 Administrator. "We want these cases to serve as a wake-up call, reminding facilities that they can and must take all necessary steps to prevent environmental mishaps when hurricanes occur. It's vital that facilities have emergency response plans and that employees are trained to carry them out."

On September 21, four 2,000 pound cylinders of chlorine were released from PRASA's facility in Jayuya, based on information provided by PRASA. Three cylinders have been recovered, one as recently as January 22, but one is still missing. Chlorine is an extremely hazardous substance, and if the cylinders had ruptured, they would pose an imminent threat to the environment and the community of Jayuya. PRASA did not notify emergency response officials, as required by law, of the loss of these cylinders. EPA has proposed an $82,500 penalty for PRASA's violations.

At Lilly del Caribe in Mayaguez, nearly 50 drums, almost half of which contained hazardous substances, were swept away in flood waters on September 21 and 22. The facility did not report the loss of the drums to the appropriate authorities until October 2 and did not make a full effort to obtain a reliable inventory of drums on its property at the time of the loss. EPA is proposing a $41,250 fine for failure to report the release.

At El Morro Corrugated Box in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, 1,700 gallons of caustic soda spilled from a storage tank on or about September 21, 1998. According to El Morro, the spill was discovered on September 23 during a plant inspection. El Morro did not notify federal emergency response officials until the afternoon of October 2 and did not notify commonwealth officials until October 5. EPA is proposing a penalty of $68,000 for El Morro's failure to report the spill to federal, commonwealth and local officials.

More than 16,000 gallons of fuel oil leaked from a storage tank at the Caribbean Petroleum refining near Cataño, Puerto Rico on September 21. More than 800 gallons of the spilled fuel reached the Las Lajas Creek, which is a tributary of the Cienaga Las Cucharillas, a sensitive marshland. The spill was discovered by 6:00 a.m. on the morning of September 22, but it was not reported to any emergency response officials until nearly 11:30 a.m. The spill is believed to have been caused by a drain valve that was not properly closed, which allowed oil to leak from the containment area surrounding the tank. EPA is proposing $75,000 in penalties for Caribbean Petroleum's violations.

For more information contact:
Mary Mears, Press Office
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
NY, NY 10007-1866
Voice: 212-637-3669 FAX: 212-637-5046 E-Mail: [email protected]