EPA Fines Lawrence, Kansas, Landfill for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations

Summary:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Hamm Inc., the owner/operator of a municipal sanitary landfill in Lawrence, Kansas, for alleged Clean Air Act violations. The company will pay a $4,206 civil penalty and spend approximately $30,000 to monitor air pollution emissions to resolve the alleged violations. The EPA discovered the violations during a March 2022 inspection, which revealed that the company exceeded the regulatory standard for methane emissions and failed to take required corrective actions. As part of the settlement, Hamm Inc. has agreed to take steps to correct the violation, including employing drone technology and LiDAR to monitor landfill emissions and assess the landfill's cover integrity. The EPA has identified climate change mitigation as a top enforcement priority and notes that landfill gas emissions from municipal solid waste landfills can cause significant air pollution and endanger public health and the environment.