Attorney General Philip T. McLaughlin and Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Robert W. Varney announced today that Webster Valve, Inc., of Franklin, has agreed to pay the State a civil forfeiture of $215,126 and to undertake a $350,000 supplemental environmental project in settlement of claims that the company violated state hazardous waste laws. Webster Valve's facility on South Main Street in Franklin manufactures and assembles automatic valves for the plumbing and heating industry, and generates hazardous waste as part of its manufacturing process.

In a Petition for Civil Forfeiture filed with the Merrimack County Superior Court on May 1, 2000, the State alleged that Webster Valve stored hazardous waste-contaminated soil in a pile outside its Franklin foundry for a period of several years, without any covering or other containment device. In addition, the State alleged, on two separate occasions Webster Valve employees entombed hazardous waste in trenches inside the foundry building. Finally, during an inspection of the company's Franklin facility in August of 1997, DES documented numerous violations of hazardous waste storage and employee training requirements, including the storage on a single cart of incompatible wastes in unsealed or leaking containers.

On June 19, 2000, the Merrimack County Superior Court approved a Consent Decree between the State and Webster Valve settling the case. Under the settlement, Webster Valve will pay the State a civil forfeiture of $215,126 in one lump sum within thirty-five days. In addition, the company will spend $350,000 in capital funds within the next year to purchase and install a new and innovative degreasing system which will eliminate hazardous waste and air emissions from Webster's degreasing operations.

Commissioner Varney noted that Webster Valve received credit in the settlement for the company's recent efforts at environmental compliance. "While the alleged violations were significant, they were mitigated by the fact that Webster Valve self-reported the soil pile containing hazardous waste to DES, promptly remediated all of the violations as soon as they were brought to the attention of the company's present management, and cooperated with the State to resolve the case. Without this cooperation, the penalty could have been much higher," said Commissioner Varney.

Attorney General McLaughlin noted that the settlement represents the commitment of his office to reaching appropriate results in environmental enforcement actions.

For further information, please contact Assistant Attorney General Jennifer J. Patterson at (603) 271-3679.