Firm agrees to cut Findlay quarry dust

1/13/2004

FINDLAY - National Lime & Stone Co. has signed a consent agreement in Hancock County Common Pleas Court to control dust and air pollution at its Findlay quarry and to pay a fine, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday.

Violations that brought the action included excessive dust and emissions from equipment used to process minerals, and dust from storage piles, the road, and parking areas at the plant.

The EPA cited the quarry operator for failure to report the malfunction of air pollution control equipment and for failing to obtain a permit to operate an emissions unit.

The court ordered National Lime to pay a $10,000 civil penalty. It left open future penalties if the company failed to comply with the consent order.

The quarry agreed to install speed bumps and speed limit signs on roads and to sweep the road to control dust. The court ordered the company to hire an independent contractor to perform three compliance audits during the next year to ensure the environmental rules are followed.