The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a Clean Air Act (CAA) settlement with Mountain Meadows Lamb Corporation, operating as Superior Farms, Inc. This resolves alleged violations of toxic chemical-related regulations at the company's North Denver meat processing facility located at 4900 Clarkson Street, Denver, Colorado.
An EPA inspection found several CAA violations concerning the management of anhydrous ammonia, a refrigerant that can be hazardous to human health if not properly managed. Superior Farms has certified to the EPA that it addressed these findings and will pay $119,200 in civil penalties as part of the settlement. The company will also invest at least $250,000 on a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) to provide significant equipment upgrades aimed at preventing an ammonia release from its facility.
“I’m glad that Superior Farms is implementing critical safety measures to protect workers and the community,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This settlement will benefit the surrounding community by preventing dangerous chemical accidents.”
Deficiencies identified by the EPA's inspection included failure to identify hazards using appropriate hazard assessment techniques, failure to design and maintain a safe facility to prevent releases, and failure to minimize the consequences of accidental releases. The Superior Farms facility is subject to CAA regulations because it stores and processes anhydrous ammonia in its refrigeration system. The CAA's General Duty Clause applies to all facilities holding less than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia.
This settlement is part of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative aimed at reducing risks from chemical accidents. The initiative focuses on improving compliance with environmental laws within the chemical manufacturing industry sector, where accidental chemical releases can pose serious risks to human health and the environment.