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City, state officials to discuss $30,000 fine
By MICHAEL D. McELWAIN (mmcelwain@reviewonline.com)
POSTED: April 30, 2008
EAST LIVERPOOL —Law Director Charles Payne said he will request a meeting with state officials regarding a proposed civil fine against the city.
Payne said he has about two weeks to craft a response or ask for a meeting about the proposed $30,000 civil penalty for improper removal and disposal of asbestos from a city building. The original incident dates back to 2006.
The proposal is open for discussion, and Payne said he wanted the mediation session to discuss the particulars surrounding the case.
In a letter sent to East Liverpool Mayor Jim Swoger on April 21, Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski indicated the city has the limited amount of time to respond concerning the city’s willingness to accept the findings and orders as currently written, or with mutually agreed upon modifications. Payne said he wanted a meeting to discuss any possible modifications.
Korleski states in his letter, “I will consider alternative enforcement mechanisms including referral of the matter to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for legal action,” if the city fails to respond.
“I’m not happy about it,” Swoger said when he first received news about the proposed fine.
When the original incident came to light in May of 2006, Swoger said then-Street Department Supervisor Earl Taylor had good intentions when he hired someone to remove asbestos pipe insulation from old, unused water piping at the city-owned car barn on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The facility was undergoing a renovation, and Taylor buried the asbestos in a clean landfill site at the top of Cadmus Street on property also owned by the city.
The removal of the asbestos was done without prior approval from the Ohio EPA and without proper safeguards and handling techniques, according to the findings. The asbestos was not disposed of properly as well.
On May 31, 2006, then-Service Safety Director William Cowan made a phone call to the Ohio EPA’s Northeast District Office and voluntarily provided the agency with the details.
The city then paid Cardinal Environmental Services to clean up the asbestos at both the car barn and at the Cadmus Street landfill.
Approximately 85 percent, or 500 of the total 600 linear feet, of the insulation on the pipe was removed.
The proposed settlement of $30,000 for the Ohio EPA’s claims for civil penalties will be split if the city agrees to the proposal.
Some $24,000 would go to the Ohio EPA and $6,000 would go to a supplemental environmental project through a contribution to the Ohio EPA’s Clean Diesel School Bus Program Fund.
Payne said he has about two weeks to craft a response or ask for a meeting about the proposed $30,000 civil penalty for improper removal and disposal of asbestos from a city building. The original incident dates back to 2006.
The proposal is open for discussion, and Payne said he wanted the mediation session to discuss the particulars surrounding the case.
In a letter sent to East Liverpool Mayor Jim Swoger on April 21, Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski indicated the city has the limited amount of time to respond concerning the city’s willingness to accept the findings and orders as currently written, or with mutually agreed upon modifications. Payne said he wanted a meeting to discuss any possible modifications.
Korleski states in his letter, “I will consider alternative enforcement mechanisms including referral of the matter to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for legal action,” if the city fails to respond.
“I’m not happy about it,” Swoger said when he first received news about the proposed fine.
When the original incident came to light in May of 2006, Swoger said then-Street Department Supervisor Earl Taylor had good intentions when he hired someone to remove asbestos pipe insulation from old, unused water piping at the city-owned car barn on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The facility was undergoing a renovation, and Taylor buried the asbestos in a clean landfill site at the top of Cadmus Street on property also owned by the city.
The removal of the asbestos was done without prior approval from the Ohio EPA and without proper safeguards and handling techniques, according to the findings. The asbestos was not disposed of properly as well.
On May 31, 2006, then-Service Safety Director William Cowan made a phone call to the Ohio EPA’s Northeast District Office and voluntarily provided the agency with the details.
The city then paid Cardinal Environmental Services to clean up the asbestos at both the car barn and at the Cadmus Street landfill.
Approximately 85 percent, or 500 of the total 600 linear feet, of the insulation on the pipe was removed.
The proposed settlement of $30,000 for the Ohio EPA’s claims for civil penalties will be split if the city agrees to the proposal.
Some $24,000 would go to the Ohio EPA and $6,000 would go to a supplemental environmental project through a contribution to the Ohio EPA’s Clean Diesel School Bus Program Fund.
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