A consent decree between the State and Old Dutch Mustard Co., Inc., d/b/a/ Pilgrim Foods (“Pilgrim”) has been announced that resolves allegations of violations of the state’s Water Pollution and Waste Disposal Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act at Pilgrim’s facility in Greenville.
Pilgrim, a New York corporation, operates a food manufacturing facility located at 68 Old Wilton Road in Greenville. Pilgrim manufactures juice from concentrate, vinegar, and mustard at the facility. Acetic acid coming from Pilgrim’s facility in Greenville has caused significant water quality violations in an unnamed stream that flows through the facility into the Souhegan River.
Since October of 2013, the State has documented more than 90 instances where the pH in the stream was lower, meaning more acidic, than the level allowed by state law. In addition Pilgrim released phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide — both hazardous wastes– into the stream. The result of these ongoing violations has severely impacted the unnamed stream such that it is void of aquatic life. The State was seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties.
The decree requires Pilgrim to implement corrective actions at its Greenville facility and also assesses a total civil penalty of $ 949,000 to be paid as follows:
$425,000 to the State’s Hazardous Waste Clean-up Fund: $75,000 to the Rivers Management and Protection Fund for Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs); and the remaining $449,000 to be utilized as an Internal Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) against which Pilgrim can receive credit for implementing the corrective actions at its facility in Greenville.
Because it is an internal SEP it is valued at a 2:1 ratio meaning that Pilgrim must spend $898,000 on corrective actions at the facility to receive full credit for the SEP.
Under the consent decree, Pilgrim has agreed to hire an independent audit team who will inspect the facility and make recommendations for corrective actions to improve the environmental safety and operations at the facility, which Pilgrim must then implement. Pilgrim has also agreed to (a) continue its water quality monitoring program at the facility; (b) test the unnamed stream several times a year for acetic acid and a number of other parameters; and (c) test the stream after completion of all the corrective actions to determine the biological health of the stream. Pilgrim will be allowed six years to implement all corrective actions and pay civil penalties.
“It is critically important for businesses to comply with all applicable environmental laws and rules to protect the State’s water quality. I am pleased to see this positive movement and look forward to supporting Pilgrim’s future efforts to improve the environment and public health of New Hampshire,” said Assistant Commissioner Clark Freise.
Attorney General Joseph A. Foster and Assistant Commissioner Clark Freise of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services made the announcement. The consent decree was approved in Hillsborough County Superior Court South.