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NJ DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/20/02
02/72

Contact: Amy Cradic
609-984-1795

DEP REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH KEARFOTT FOR WASTEWATER MONITORING VIOLATIONS AT TWO FACILITIES

(02/72) TRENTON - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced that Kearfott Guidance and Navigation Corporation, a subsidiary of Astronautics Corporation of America, was fined $303,009 for failure to monitor wastewater discharges at two facilities located in West Paterson Borough, Passaic County. The facilities discharge into the Passaic and Peckman rivers.

"Without adherence to wastewater monitoring regulations, our ability to ensure the quality of New Jersey's water supplies is severely hindered," said Commission Campbell. "The department is strictly enforcing essential laws to protect the state's water quality and we will not hesitate to execute penalties where violations exist."

Under its DEP-issued New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits (NJPDES), Kearfott is required to sample and monitor its wastewater for temperature, pH, total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and petroleum hydrocarbons to ensure that its facilities meet permissible discharge limits. Kearfott's discharges are primarily comprised of cooling water from its plant operations and stormwater.

On April 8, 1999, the DEP issued two Administrative Order and Penalty Assessments to Kearfott for failure to monitor its wastewater, which occurred between September 1991 and February 1993, at separate facilities situated on McBride Avenue, West Paterson Borough. The assessed fines totaled $197,743 and $167,321. On June 17, 2002, DEP and Kearfott reached a penalty settlement for $303,009.

Failure to properly monitor wastewater discharge undermines the integrity of the department's NJPDES permit program, which is based in large part on self-monitoring and reporting by permittees. NJPDES permits, which limit the mass and/or concentration of pollutants discharged, are issued to restrict the release of pollutants to New Jersey's waterways and to protect public health and the environment.

DEP can not confirm that Kearfott was in compliance during the periods when their failure to monitor occurred.

 

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