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City of Fort Smith's Violation of the Clean Water Act: A Consent Decree, Exercises of Acting

A consent decree between the City of Fort Smith and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) regarding the city's violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) due to Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) from its Wastewater Collection and Transmission Systems (WCTS). The decree includes the city's agreement to prioritize and complete capacity remedial measures, hydraulic analyses, and operational improvements at each pump station to prevent SSOs. The city also agrees to provide detailed descriptions of these measures and a schedule for their completion, as well as notifications to EPA and ADEQ if any projects are deemed unnecessary.

What you will learn

  • What are the specific violations of the Clean Water Act by the City of Fort Smith?
  • What happens if the city determines that any of the capacity remedial measures projects are not necessary?
  • What documentation must the city provide to the United States as part of the consent decree?
  • What is the schedule for completing the capacity remedial measures and operational improvements at each pump station?
  • What measures is the city required to take to prevent Sanitary Sewer Overflows?

Typology: Exercises

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Case
2:14-cv-02266-PKH
Document
3-1
Filed
01/02/15
Page
1
flf
147
PageiD
#:
28
UNITED
STATES
DISTRICT
COURT
WESTERN
DISTRICT
OF
ARKANSAS
FORT
SMITH
DIVISION
UNITED
STATES
OF
AMERICA
and
STATE
QF
ARKANSAS,
Plaintiffs,
v.
CIVIL
ACTION
NO.
CITY
OF
FORT
SMITH,
ARKANSAS,
Defendant.
CONSENT
DECREE
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Download City of Fort Smith's Violation of the Clean Water Act: A Consent Decree and more Exercises Acting in PDF only on Docsity!

Case2:14-cv-02266-PKH Document3-1 Filed01/02/ Page 1 flf 147

PageiD #: 28

UNITED

STATES

DISTRICTCOURT

WESTERN

DISTRICTOF

ARKANSAS

FORT

SMITHDIVISION

UNITED STATES

OFAMERICA

and

STATE

QFARKANSAS,

Plaintiffs,

v.

CIVIL

ACTIONNO.

CITYOFFORTSMITH,

ARKANSAS,

Defendant.

CONSENT

DECREE

Case 2:14-cv-02266-PKM Document 3-1 Filed 01/02/15 Page 2 of

PagelD #: 29

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sections and Articles

Pa e s

I,

JURISDICTION AND

VENUE

II.

UBJECTIVES

III.

APPLICABILITY

IV.

DEFINITIONS

V.

COMPREHENSIVE REMEDIAL

REQUIREMENTS

A. Introduction

B. Article One: Sewer System Condition Assessments ........................................... 17

C. Article Two: Condition Remedial Measures ....................................................... 21

D.

Article Three: Pwnp Station/Force Main Evaluation Report .............................. 23

E. Article Four: Capacity Assessment and Hydraulic Modeling ............................. 27

F. Article Five: Capacity Remedial Measures Plan ................................................. 31

G. Article Six: Capacity-Related Remedial Measures Projects Identified in

Appendices El and E

.......................................................................................... 33

H. Article Seven: Development of a Capacity, Management Operation and

Maintenance Program

........................................................................................... 34

Introductian

........................................................................................................... 34

WCTS Maintenance Activities Until Full CMOM Implementation..................... 34

FOG Control Program Component ....................................................................... 34

FOG Program Reporting

....................................................................................... 37

Root Control Program Component

....................................................................... 3 S

Root Control Program Reporting

.......................................................................... 38

Gravity Sewer Line Cleaning Component ............................................................ 38

Cleaning Program Reporting

................................................................................ 41

Continuing Sewer System Assessment Program Component .............................. 41

Case2:14-cv-02266-PKH Document3-1 Filed01IO2f15 Page 4 of

147 PagelD #: 31

XX. NOTICES ..............................................

......................................................................

104

~Yi. EFFECTIVE DATE ........................................................................................................

lOb

XXTI. RETENTION OFJI3RISDICTTON

................................................................................ l Ob

XXIII. MODiFICATION

...........................................................................................................

106

XXIV. TERMINATION

............................................................................................................

10~

XXV. CONTINGENT LIABILITYOF THE STATEOF ARKANSAS ................................ 108

~XVI. PUBLICPARTICII'ATI4N

..........................................................................................

108

XXVII. SIGNATORIESISERVICE

...........................................................................................

149

XXVIII. INTEGRATION/APPENDICES

..................................................................................

109

~~IX, FiNAL JUDGMENT ...................................................................................................

111

iv

Case

2.14-cv-02266-PKH

Document3- Filed

fl Page 5 of 147

PagelD #: 32

WHEREAS

the City ofFortSmith, .Arkansas ("City")owns and operates a Publicly

Owned Treatment Works("POTW") asdefined at 40 C.F.R. § 4033 that includes two

Wastewater Treatment Plants {"WWTPs") and twoWastewater Collection andTransmission

Systems ("WCTS")collectively serving the WWTPs;

~THEREAS

theState ofArkansas isaparty to

this action pursuant to Section 309(e) of

theClean Water Act ("CWA"), 33 U.S.C.§ 1319{e);

WHEREAS

City dischargespollutants

intonavigable waters of the United Statesand

Waters of the State ofArkansas fromtheP StreetW'WTP (locatedat I3 North P Street in Fort

Smith), and theMansard W~VTP (located in FartSmith witha mailing address of 1609 North 9~'

Terrace, Barling, Arkansas), pursuant to National Pollutant DischargeElimination System

{"NPDES") Permit No. AR ("the PStreetPermit"), effective Maxch 1, 2012,and

NPDES

Permit No. AR ("theMansard Permit"}, effectiveFebruary 1, 2009;

WHEREAS

Plaintiff,United Statesof America, by the authority of the Attorney General

cif the United Staxes and throughits undersigned counsel,acting at the request and on behalf of

the Administrator ofthe United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and pursuant

to Section 309{a) ofthe CWA, 33 U.S.C. §1319{a),and theCo-Plaintiff Stateof Arkansas,

acting at the request and on behalf of the Arkansas Departnnent ofEnvironmental

Quality

("ADEQ"},

by the authority of the Attorney General, pursuant toArk. Cade Ann.§ 25-16-'702(e)

andin accordance withCWA Section 309(e}, 33 U.S.C.§1319(e), and through its undersigned

counsel, jointly filed a Complaint against City seeking injunctive reliefand acivil penalty;

Case

2:14-cv-42266-P~H

Document 3-1 Filed01/ Page 7 of 147 PagelD #: 34

WHEREAS,

ascontinued implementation

ofits Wastewater

Management Plan, the City

asserts that it has entered into contracts and expended over $203,463, on the design and

construction ofPOTW improvements

including upgrading of both WWTPs; development and

continued maintenance

of aWCTS hydraulic model; completion of WCTS evaluation studies on

certain collector sewers;replacement

orrehabilitation

ofcertain collector sewers; construction of

certain interceptor

sewers;construction

ofthe Sunnymede wet weather pump station and

equalization

{"EQ")storage facility; current construction of the Zero Street wet weather pump

station and EQ storage faczIity; and completion ofconstruction of theMill Creek wet weather

pump station and EQ facility, resulting in what the City believes isasignificant reduc#ion of

SSOs initsWCTS;

WHEREAS,

Fort Smith's POTWisa separate sanitary sewer system and the Parties

nevertheless

agree to utilize EPA's "Combined Sewer Ovezflovvs

Guidance far Financial

Capability Assessment

and Schedule Development,"

EPA 8320B-97-004, published February,

herein;

WHEREAS,

notwithstanding

City's development and continued implementation

of i#s

Wastewater

Management Plan, EPAalleges that City has not made sufficient progress and

remains innoncompliance

with #s NPDES Pernuts and the CWA, particularly

in the area of

SSQs;

V~JHEREAS

City does not admit any liability arisingout ofthetransactions

or

occurrences

alleged in the Plaintiffs' Complaint and alleges that: (1) City's operation of its

PQTW

in

fact was consistent with the then current

NPDES Permits issued by the State; (2) City

Case

2:14-cv-02266-PKH Document 3-1 Filed01/02/15 Page 8 of 147 PagelD #: 35

notified EPA and the State

that itsWas#ewater Management Planand itsimpiementa~ionwere

consistent with principlesofaffordability; and{3) EPAdidnot notify City not to implement the

Wastewater Management Planandsubmittals by the City pursuant to the Plan; and

V~JHEREAS theParties recognize, andtheCourtby entering this Consent Decree finds,

thatthisConsent Decree has beennegotiated

by

the Partiesiregood faith and will avoid

prolonged andcomplicated litigation amongtheParties, and that this Consent Decree is fair,

reasonable, andinthepublic interest.

NOW, THEREFORE,

before the taking ofanytestimony, withouttheadjudication or

admission ofanyissueof factorlaw except as provided in Section I, below,and with the consent

oftheParties,IT ISHEREBY ADJUDGED, ORDERED,AND DECREED as follows:

I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

This Courthasjurisdiction over fhesubjectmatter of this action, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§§I331, 1345, 1367(a) and 1355, andSections 309{b)ofthe CWA, 33 U.S.C. §1319(b),and

overtheParties. Venueliesin this Districtpursuant to Section309(b) of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. §

1319{b), and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391 {b) and1395(a), because Cityislocated inthisjudicial district,

andthe violationsalleged in theComplaint are alleged to have occurred in this judicial district.

Forpurposes of this Decree, Citydoesnotcontest the Court's jurisdictionoverthis actionor

over theCity, and does notcontest venueinthis judicialdistrict.

  1. For purposes of this Consent Decree,City agrees thatPlaintiffs' Complaintstates claims

upon which relief maybe granted pursuant ~o Sections 301 and 309 of theCWA, 33 U,S.C. §§

1311 azid1319.

Case

2..14-cv-02266-PKH Document 3-1 filed 01/0 2 /

5 Page 10 of 147 PagelD #: 37

and to each engineer, Consultant andContractor alreadyretained (and to beretained in the

future) to

perform any activitiesrequixed bythisConsent Decree upon the execution of any

contractrelating tosuch activities.

Inanyaction toenforce this Consent Decree, City shall notraise as a defense the failuxe

by any of its officials, employees, agents,Consultants orContractors totake any actions

necessa~.~yy tocomply with the provisions of this Consent Decree.

IV.

DEFINITIONS

  1. Unless otherwise definedherein, tezms used in this Consent Decree shall have the

meanings given to those terms in the CWA andthe regulationspromulgated thereunder. The

following terms used inthis Consent Decree shall be defined as follows:

a "ADEQ" shall mean the ArkansasDepartnnent ofEnvironmental

Quality,and any

successor departments oragencies ofthe State of Arkansas;

b. "Annual Report" shallmeanthereport tobe submitted annually pursuant to Section

Xofthe ConsentDecree;

c. "Appendix" shallmeanan attachmentto this Consent Decree which contains details

ofcompliance actions tobeundertaken pursuant to this Decree;

d. "Article" shall mean aportionof SectionV("Comprehensive Remedial

Requirement" Section) of this Consent Decree;

e. "Basin" shall mean a section ofaSewershed thatis adistinctwastewater collection

area,anddesignated byFort Smithas such;

f. "Building/Private

PropertyBackup" sha11 mean a wastewater backup into a building

6

Case2:14-cv-02266-PKH Document 3-1 Filed 01102/ Page 11 at 147 PagelD #: 38

andlor a wastewater overflow onto privateproperty that iscaused by blockages, flaw

conditions orother malfunctions inthe WCTS. "Building/Private Property

Backup"

does nat include a wastewater

backupinto abuilding and/ora wastewater overflow

onto priva#e property

that is caused solely by ablockage orother malfunction ofa

Private Service Lateral or otherpiping orconveyance system that Fort Smith does not

ownoroperate;

g. "Calendar Year" shall mean the 12 -month period starting on January 1 and ending on

December 31 ofa given year;

h. "Capacity Constraint" shallmean those discretecomponents,

or groups of

components of theWCTS thatare determined bythe City,. consistent with Section V,

Article Four ("Capacity Assessment and Hydraulic Modeling") ofthis Consent

Decxee tohave capacity deficiency issues thathave caused orsignificantly

contributed to previous capacity -related SSOs; that are likelyto cause orsignificantly

contribute to future capacity -related SSOs;and/or that are identified as overflow

locations for anystorm event presented inSection V,Article Four, Paragraph 30;

i, "City" or "Fort Smith" shall mean the CityofFort Smith.,Arkansas;

j. "Cleazx WaterAct" or"CWA" shall meanthe federal Clean Water Act found at 33

U.S.C.§§1251-

k. "CM4M"

or"Capacity, Management,

Operations, and Maintenance" sha11mean a

program of accepted industry practices to properly manage, operate and maintain

sanitary sewer collection, transmission

andtreatment systems, investigate capacity

7

Case

2.14-cv-02266-PKH

Document3- Filed01/02/15 Page 13 of 147 PagelD #: 40

q. "Cross -Connection" shall meanany constructed. connection, whether by pipe or any

other means, between anypartof theWCTS andany partofastorm water drainage

system that iscapable ofconveyingflow between the two systems;

r, "Date of Entry" shall mean the actualdate thefederal districtcourt judge signs and

approves thisConsent Decree,after thepublic comment period expires, and after the

United States files a motion for entry andamemorandum in supportthereof;

s. "Dateof Lodging" sha11mean the date the United States files a copy of this Consent

Decree signed byall Parties with the District Court, along with theComplaint, przor

to submitting theConsent Decreefor publication inthe Federal Register to provide an

opportunity for publicreview and comment thereon;

t, "Day" or "Days" shall mean a calendar day or calendar days unless expressly stated

tobea business day or business days. In computingany periodoftime under this

Consent Decree, where the last Day wouldfallon aSaturday, Sunday, ora federal ox

State holiday, the period shall rununtil the closeof thenext business day;

u. "Defendant" shallmean the City of Fort Smith, .Arkansas;

v. "Deliverable" shallmean any written document required to beprepared and/or

submitted byor onbehalf of Fort Smith pursuant to this Consent Decree;

w. "Direct Discharge" shallmean asewer pipeinstalled toconvey wastewater from a

sanitary sewer for release into theenvironment;

x. ".EPA" shall mean the United StatesEnvironmental

Protection Agency and any

successor departments

or agencies of ithe United States;

0

Case2:14-cv-02266-PKH Document 3-1 Filed01./Q2/15 Page 14 of 147 PagelD#: 41

y."Equalization Facilities"or "EQ Facilities" shallmean #hose components of the

WCTS designated, designed or intended forthe temporary storageofwet-weather

wastewater flows;

z, "FQG"shall mean fats, oilandgrease,whether petroleum -based, mineral -oil-based,

animal -basedor vegetable-based;

aa. "FOG Control Device" shallmean anygreaseinterceptor, grease trap,oxother

mechanism, device,or proc,~ssthatattaches toorisapplied towastewater plumbing

fixturesandlorPrivate ServiceLines tocollect,contain, orremove FOG from the

wastewater streamof aFOGGenerator prior to discharge into the WCTS;

bb, "FOG Control Program" ar"Fats, Oiland GreaseControl Program"shall mean Fort

Smith's program to control dischargeofFOG intotheWCTS as developedand

approved underSection V,Article Seven,Paragraph 37 ofthis ConsentDecree;

cc. "F(3G Generator" shall- mean anyfood serviceestablishment orfood-processing

establishmentthat discharges FOG into the WCTS, provided, however, that those

establishments covered bytheCity's industrial user program shall not be considered a

FOGGenerator forthe purposes ofthis Consent Decree;

dd. "Force Main" sha11 meanany pipethat receivesandconveys, underpressure,

wastewaterfrom the discharge side of a pump. A Force Main is intended to convey

wastewater under pressure;

ee. "Gravity Sewer Line" shallmean a pipethat receives, contains and conveys

wastewater notnornnally underparessure, but intended toflowunassisted under the

10

Case

2:14-cv-02266-PKN

Document3-1 Filed 01/02/15 Page 16 0# 147 Page1D #: 43

Waterand AirPollution ContrasAct, Ark. Code Ann. § 8-4-10, et seq., for the

Mansard P4TW andanyfuture extended, modified or reissued permit;

  1. "Mansard WWTP" shall meanthe publiclyowned treatment workstha#is owned and

operated by

City andthat is located in Fort Smith with an address of 1 b09North 9~'

Terrace, Barling, Arkansas;

mm. "MGD" or "mgd"sha meanmillion gallons perday;

nn. "Month" shall mean one calendarmonth runningfrom anumbered day to the same

numbered day of the following calendar month,regardless ofwhether theparticular

month has 28,29, 30 or 31 days. Ifatriggering eventwould occuron a day of the

mon#h that doesnotexist (forexample, February30), then theevent shall bedue on

the fastdayof thefollowing month(forexample Mazch 1);

oo. "NASSCO" shall meantheNational Association of Sewer Service Companies;

pp. "P StreetPermit" shall meanNPDES permitnumber AR issued #o City

pursuantto Section 402 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1342, and the Arkansas

Water andAirPollution Control Act, Ark.Code Ann. § $-4-10, et seq., for the P

Street POTW and anyfuture,extended, modified orreissued permit;

qq. "PStreet WWTP" shall meanthepublicly ownedtreatment works thatisowned and

operated byCity andthatis located at 13 North PStreet inFort Smith, Arkansas;

rr, "PACP" sha11 mean the NASSCO Pipe Assessment andCertification Program;

ss. "Paragraph" shallmean a portion ofthis Decree identified by an Arabic numexai or a

letter;

12

Case

2:14-cv-02266-PKH

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Filed01/02/ Page 17 of 147 PagelD #: 44

tt. "Parties" shall meanthe City, the United States, and the State of Arkansas;

uu. "Pipe Segment" shall mean the portion of a

Gravity Sewer Lineextending from

manhole

to

manhole;

°w."Plaintiffs" shallmean the United States and the State of Arkansas;

ww. "Private ServiceLine" shallmean asewerline which isnot owned or operated by

City, butwhich conveys wastewater fromabuilding to a main line of the WCTS;

~. "Private Service Line Release" shall mean anyspill, release,or diversion ofsewage

from a Private ServiceLine toanylocation otherthanthe WCTS caused solely by a

blockage or othermalfunction in that Service Line, even if therelease does not reach

Waters oftheState arwaters ofthe UnitedStates;

yy. "Pump Station°° or "Pumping Station"shall meanfacilities owned oroperated by Fort

Smith that contain pumps thatlift wastewater fromaLower toa higher hydraulic

elevation, including all relatedelectrical, mechanical, and structural systems

necessary tothe operationof that Pump Station within the WCTS;

zz. "Recurring

PrivateService Line Release" shall mean a Private Service Line Release

thathasoccurred within three(3) Years ofa prior Private Sezvice Line Release at the

same location;

aaa."Recurring SSO," "R.ecurring Dry-Weather SSO," and "Recurring Wet -Weather

SSO."A"Recurring

SSO"shall mean any SSO that has occurred within three (3)

~.'eazs ofa prior SSO thax occurred at the same location underany weather conditions

(wet ordry). A"Recurring Dry-Weather

SS4" shall mean an SS(J that has occurred

13

Case

2:1.4-cv-02266-PKN Document 3-1 Filed01/ Page 19 of 147 PagelD #: 46

wastewater collection axeaand designated as such by City for the P Street WWTP and

theMansard WWTP;

~f£ "State ofArkansas" or"State" shall mean the State of Arkansas acting onbehalf of

.A.DEQ;

ggg. "Sub -basin" shall mean a section ofa Basinthat isadistinctwastewater collection

areaand designated byFortSmith as such;

4i

~ubparagraph" shallmean a portion of this Consent Decree identified by a lower

caseletterfollowed byaperiod;

iii, "Tabulation" shall mean adocument in a format containing text searchable cells or

fields that isalsosortable bydata category;

jjj. "United States" shall meantheUnited Statesof America,acting onbehalf ofEPA;

kkk."'V~astewater

Treatment Plant" or "WWTP" shall mean the Mansard or P Street

wastewater treatment plantsand components thereof;

  1. "Wastewater

Collection and Transmission Sys#em" ar "WCTS" shall mean the

sanitary sewer collection, retention andtransmission sys#ems for both the Massard

WWTP

Sewershed andtheP StreetW'WTP Sewershed, including ail pipes,Force

Mains, Gravity Sewer Lines, Pump Stations, EQ Basins, manholes andappurtenances

thereto, that areowned oroperated byCity at any time from theDafie ofbodging of

this Consent Decreeuntil itstermination under SectionXXIV;

mn:zm."Waters ofthe State" shall mean all streams, lakes, marshes,ponds, watercourses,

waterways,

wells, springs, irrigation systems,drainage systems, and ail other bodies

15

Case

2:14-cv-02266-PKN Document3-Z Filed 01/Q 2 / 15 Page 20 0# 147 PagefD #: 47

of accumulations ofwater, surface and underground, natural andartificial, public or

private, whichare con#ainedwithin, flowthrough, or border upon the State of

Arkansas, oranyportion oftheState ofArkansas, as defined in Ark. Code Ann. §

and

gum.. "Year" shall mean atwelve monthperiod regardlessof the beginningdate. In the

event a

triggered event shallbe due on a year ending date that does nat exist (fox

example,February 29 in same years), then the event shall be due an thefirst day of

the followingmonth (forexample, March 1).

V.

COMPREHENSIVE

REMEDIAL

RE4UIREMENTS

A. Introduction

Thefollowing nineArticles constitute theactions that City shall undertake or continue to

undertake toachieve the Objectives ofthisConsent Decree, as stated in Section II. City sha

implement allongoingWCTS investigatians, analyses, and Remedial Measures consistent with

sound engineering practices, City's best professionaljudgment, industry standards, and the

guidance manuals identified in

this Sectionof theConsentDecree. Subject tothe provisions of

this Consent Decree, allactions required underSection VofthisConsent Decree shall be

completed nolaterthan twelve (12) gears after the Date of Lodging, except those ongoing

actions identified underSection V,Article Seven ("Development ofaCapacity, Management,

Operation and Maintenance Program") thatshall continueafter texmination of this Decree, under

Section XXIVofthis ConsentI3ecree.

ib