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| EPA fines rail company for ammonia release |
| The Environmental Protection Agency fined a Colton, Calif., rail car repair facility $5,000 for waiting more than a day to report the release of 250 pounds of ammonia, officials told the San Bernardino County Times.
The GATX Corporation also agreed to donate a $20,700 mercury analyzer to the San Bernardino County Fire Department under the EPA settlement. EPA officials said a company employee on Sept. 9, 2008 failed to follow company procedures for flaring ammonia from a tank car, causing 250 pounds of the chemical to be released. Employees of a nearby railroad facility first reported the release to the Colton Fire Department, but GATX did not tell the EPA's National Response Center until more than 30 hours later. Ammonia exposure can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system. Exposure to very high concentrations can result in lung damage and death, officials said. GATX Corporation has since taken steps to prevent any similar incidents in the future. (This item appeared in the San Bernardino County Times Oct. 28, 2009.) |
| October 28, 2009 |
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