King America Finishing was ordered to submit plans to pay to undertake supplemental environmental projects in the amount of $1 million. This is the result of several months of investigation by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division after they were notified in May of thousands of dead fish found in the Ogeechee River.
The fish kill started just below the King Finishing discharge line and non-permitted chemicals were found, according the EPD. The investigation showed that King Finishing had been making unauthorized discharges of flame retardant chemicals into the black water stream for five years.
King Finishing is required to spend $1 million on an unspecified “supplemental environmental project,” it does not require the company to pay a penalty, nor does it require that it cover the costs for the restocking of the fish in the river which was conducted by the state last month. State taxpayers will be responsible for picking up that bill.
In response, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper has filed notice to file suit against King America Finishing. The suit alleges that the plant is still discharging color, ammonia, and formaldehyde into the river in violation of it's state-authorized permit.
Tip of the hat to Luke Owen of the NPDES Training Institute for bringing awareness to this in his October newsletter.
For further details regarding the Riverkeeper suit, click here.