State Settles Hazardous Waste Handling Violations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that the New Hampshire Department of Justice and the Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) have reached a settlement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in the Town of Hanover. A NHDES compliance inspection revealed numerous violations of the Hazardous Waste Management Act, RSA 147-A, and associated administrative rules, associated with CRREL's management of waste streams generated from a groundwater treatment process to address legacy trichlorethylene (TCE) contamination at the facility. NHDES cited CRREL for failing to properly perform hazardous waste determinations related to byproducts of the groundwater treatment process, shipping hazardous waste as non-hazardous, as well as other waste storage and reporting violations.

Following corrective action to remedy the violations, CRREL agreed to enter into an Administrative Order by Consent and to pay a $200,000 civil forfeiture to the State.

"Compliance with our Hazardous Waste laws and regulations is critical to the continued safety of the public and protection of our natural resources. We hold all generators and handlers of hazardous waste, including the federal government, to strict compliance with the law," said Attorney General Formella. "Civil penalties like this one are an important tool to deter noncompliance. We will continue to enforce our state environmental laws and hold violators accountable."

The civil forfeiture will be deposited in the New Hampshire hazardous waste cleanup fund under RSA 147-B as required by law.