HARTFORD CITY, Ind. (AP) - A junkyard in Hartford City is planning to spend about $1.5 million to build a storm water treatment plant and holding ponds with a million gallons of capacity to put a halt to years of pollution.
Millions of dollars already have been spent to try to stop ongoing violations of environmental regulations at the salvage yard, according to the Star Press (https://tspne.ws/2fD18us).
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management fined Hartford Iron & Metal $60,000 earlier this year and again ordered it to stop discharging PCB-contaminated storm water into city streets, sewers and waterways. The department has since sued the junkyard, which has operated for decades.
Hartford Iron engineering consultant Jim Thompson said the salvage yard has plans to demolish several houses across the street, where it will site the ponds and treatment facility. The project needs to still be approved by the junkyard’s insurance company, which has funded remediation efforts so far with Hartford Iron for five years. The junkyard and the insurance company, Valley Forge, blame each other for the continued problems.
The junkyard’s attorney Mark Shere blamed the insurance’s environmental consultant, August Mack Environmental, saying the group used “defective” treatment equipment. The consultant group responded by saying they had a long list of proposed improvements to the equipment, but Hartford rejected or ignored approving that list.
Neighbors at a recent community discussion in city hall expressed concern about both contaminants in the water and dust emissions. Other concerning contaminants in Hartford Iron’s soil include lead, which can damage the human nervous system.
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Information from: The Star Press, https://www.thestarpress.com
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