Frankie Schwartz Salvage referred to Attorney General for enforcement action for wastewater violations
| Volume 37-437 | Contact: Renee Bungart |
| (For immediate release) |
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, NOV. 17, 2009-- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources today referred Frankie Schwartz Salvage, located in Dent County, to the Missouri Attorney General's Office to pursue legal action for wastewater violations. Schwartz is operating a motor vehicle salvage yard without an operating permit, in violation of the Missouri Clean Water Law and its implementing regulations.
On June 6, the department conducted an inspection of the salvage yard and discovered the salvage yard is operating without a Missouri State Operating Permit. The Missouri Clean Water Law and its implementing regulations require any motor vehicle salvage yard that has more than 50 vehicles on-site or processes more than 50 vehicles in one calendar year to obtain a general storm water permit. The storm water permit requires salvage yards to implement and maintain best management practices on-site to prevent oil, grease, petroleum products, etc. associated with motor vehicle salvage operations from entering waters of the state through storm water discharge from the site.
Missouri's Clean Water Law exists to protect public and environmental health and the department is responsible for enforcing the law and regulations.
The department's enforcement actions help protect human health and the environment by requiring facilities to maintain compliance. The department's main goal in any enforcement action is to work with a facility to successfully achieve compliance with the standards and then ensure they have the tools to remain in compliance. As part of that process, penalties may be used as a deterrent to future violations and to remove the economic benefit of continued noncompliance.
The department strives to work with owners and operators to fix the problems and reach a settlement agreement. However, in situations where the responsible party is unwilling or unable to cooperate to bring the facility into compliance and be protective of human health and the environment, the department will refer the case to the Attorney General's Office for legal action.