APM Terminals Fined for Stormwater Violations at Port of Los Angeles

APM Terminals Pacific Limited discharged industrial-activity stormwater at its marine shipping container terminal facility between October 1, 2004 and January 17, 2008, the federal agency charges.

These discharges are in violation of the federal Clean Water Act and the California National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

"Controlling stormwater pollution is key to improving Southern California water quality," said Alexis Strauss, Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region.

"Many tools to control stormwater pollution are simply good housekeeping and continued maintenance," she said.

APM facilities at the Port of Los Angeles (Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles)

The penalty action is part of a larger enforcement initiative focusing on ports to ensure their tenants comply with stormwater requirements. The U.S. EPA and the Los Angeles Regional Quality Control Board conducted a stormwater audit of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in May 2007, and issued 20 administrative orders to the Ports' tenants, including APM Terminals Pacific Limited.

APM Terminals operates the Port's largest container terminal, the 484-acre Pier 400, where the largest on-dock railyard at the Port of Los Angeles is located.

Strauss points out that discharges like those from the APM facility can carry pollutants such as metals, oil and grease, acidic wastewater, bacteria, and trash into nearby waters.

The EPA requires industrial facilities to prevent such water pollution by complying with federal and state water pollution requirements. The federal Clean Water Act requires that industrial facilities discharging wastewater or stormwater from a point source into a waterway must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, NPDES, permit.

All NPDES permits are written to ensure the receiving waters meet water quality standards, the EPA says.

But, said the agency, APM Terminals Pacific Ltd. failed to implement best management practices at its Port of Los Angeles facility and also failed to develop an adequate stormwater pollution prevention plan for company operations at the Port.

At the Port of Los Angeles, APM Terminals operates an administration building; vessel operations building; rail operations building; and a maintenance and repair facility/multi-purpose dock. The on-dock service is designed for 12 loading tracks with a total capacity of 126 railcars; a transportation corridor for rail and highway traffic; three advanced gate complexes with 36 inbound lanes and 20 outbound lanes; and 1,800 refrigerated container plugs

With world headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands, APM Terminals operates a global terminal network of over 50 ports in 34 countries. The company, a subsidiary of the Danish shipping line Maersk, provides port management and operations to over 60 liner shipping customers who serve importers and exporters of containerized cargo.

According to company statements, APM Terminals had over $3 billion in revenues in 2008 and invested $723 million in new ports and port projects.

The proposed settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period. To comment, click here.

Copyright Environment News Service, ENS, 2009. All rights reserved.