Public Notice: Proposed Settlement for Clean Water Act Violations in Hardin, Montana

Publish Date

February 6, 2025

Summary

The EPA is providing notice of an opportunity for the public to comment on an Expedited Penalty Action and Consent Agreement (Consent Agreement) pertaining to a drinking water treatment plant owned and operated by the City of Hardin, which discharges wastewater in Hardin, MT. In the Consent Agreement, the EPA has alleged that the City of Hardin has violated a Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit for Wastewater Discharges Associated with Drinking Water Production in Indian Country.

Background

The EPA has alleged that City of Hardin has violated permit requirements by failing to submit monthly discharge monitoring reports within required timeframes and failing to complete weekly inspections of the backwash pond dike walls. Under the Consent Agreement, the City of Hardin has agreed to pay a civil administrative penalty of $1,320 to resolve its federal civil penalty liability for these alleged violations. Before issuing an order approving the Consent Agreement and assessing this penalty, the EPA is providing an opportunity for the public to submit written comments and to participate in any hearing. Please see section 309(g) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1319(g), for more details.

The addresses of the EPA official serving as Complainant and of the City of Hardin are listed below.

EPA Complainant

Emilio Llamozas, Supervisor, NPDES and Wetlands Section, Water Enforcement Branch, Environment and Compliance Assurance Division,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
[email protected], (303) 312-6407

Respondent

City of Hardin: Joe Purcell, Mayor, City of Hardin
406 N. Cheyenne Avenue, Hardin, Montana 59034
(406) 665-9260

Public Comments

The EPA encourages the public to comment on the Consent Agreement. The Consent Agreement will be available for review for a period of 30 days after the publication of this notice. After the close of this comment period, the EPA expects to respond to comments. The EPA will, if appropriate in view of any comments received, enter an order approving the Consent Agreement. The order, if any, would be issued at least ten (10) days after the close of the public comment period and at least forty (40) days after publication or posting of this notice, in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 22.45(b) and (c)(3). The Consent Agreement is available for review by contacting the person listed in the "How to Comment" box on the right side of this page.

For Further Information

Any person wishing (1) to comment upon the proposed penalty assessment or upon any other aspect of this matter or (2) to obtain any other information on this proceeding should contact the EPA Regional Hearing Clerk identified in the "How to Comment" box.

Docket Numbers

CWA-08-2025-0004