PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, October 15, 2007 (ENS) - The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Prison Industries have paid a $38,100 penalty to the federal government to settle a lawsuit alleging hazardous waste and Clean Air Act violations at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Union County, Pennsylvania.

The Lewisburg prison is a high security facility housing male inmates.

The agreement announced Thursday resolves the alleged violations discovered during a comprehensive inspection of the prison in July 2004.

At the time of the inspection, Federal Prison Industries, Inc., also known as UNICOR, was manufacturing metal lockers at the facility and using a paint booth that was not covered under the facility's air permit.

The paint booth, which was used to powder coat the metal lockers, was a source of air emissions of particulate matter. Other alleged violations include storing hazardous waste without a permit and improperly labeling waste paint containers, waste organic adhesives, and 55 gallon waste drums.

"Like all private and public facilities, prisons have a duty to comply with laws protecting public health and the environment," said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Donald Welsh. "The Lewisburg prison case is part of EPA's effort to ensure correctional facilities are complying with environmental regulations."

The EPA's mid-Atlantic regional office has an ongoing prison initiative which includes comprehensive inspections, enforcement and compliance assistance. Lewisburg Federal Prison was the 11th prison inspected as part of this initiative.

There are over 100 state, federal and local prisons presently operating in the mid-Atlantic region.

For additional information on the prison initiative visit http://www.epa.gov/region03/compliance_assistance/prisons.htm.

In addition to the settlement announced today, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has agreed to self-audit all 16 of its prisons in the mid-Atlantic region. The Bureau of Prisons will disclose all EPA-enforceable regulatory violations discovered during the audit and will correct these violations within 60 days.

Environmental problems at some prisons include improper handling and disposal of hazardous waste materials, inadequate monitoring of underground storage tanks, and the failure to have a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan in place.

The EPA offers compliance assistance resources and tools designed to assist facilities in complying with federal and state environmental laws. These resources can help facilities understand their obligations, improve compliance and find cost-effective ways to comply through the use of pollution prevention and other innovative technologies.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.