KC chemical company to pay two federal agencies that investigated blast, fire ($225,000 fine)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/510715.html

By TONY RIZZO
The Kansas City Star

An East Bottoms chemical company rocked by an explosion and massive fire last year will pay about $470,000 to two federal agencies that investigated the incident.

Chemcentral Midwest Corp. agreed to pay a $225,000 fine to settle a lawsuit brought by the Environmental Protection Agency alleging violations of the Clean Air Act and another federal act related to emergency planning and notification, the EPA announced Thursday.



The company also agreed to reimburse the EPA for the more than $150,000 it spent responding to the blaze last February and its aftermath.

The announcement came a day after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration resolved its case against Chemcentral, which agreed to pay OSHA a $94,875 penalty for alleged workplace safety violations. OSHA initially sought $126,000.

In the civil equivalent of a no-contest plea, the EPA consent agreement states Chemcentral “neither admits nor denies” the factual allegations made by the EPA.

A spokeswoman for Chemcentral said Thursday that the company had no additional comment.

The Feb. 7, 2007, explosion and fire at the company’s 5-acre facility at 910 N. Prospect Ave. injured two workers and spewed black smoke for hours.

FULL story at link.