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PREPA SIGNS $1 MILLION CONTRACT WITH UPR
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH
EPA CONSENT DECREE
San Juan, Puerto Rico –
Communities near Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)
power plants can breathe a little easier today. PREPA has
hired a contractor, selected by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and representatives from the Salinas,
Guayanillas, Cataño and Guaynabo communities, to monitor its
compliance with federal environmental laws. PREPA is required
by a 1999 Consent Decree with EPA to spend at least one
million dollars to hire a contractor to track its compliance
with the requirements in the decree for a period of least five
years. The contract was awarded to the University of Puerto
Rico. The University’s involvement will compliment EPA’s
concentrated efforts to inspect PREPA’s plants and enforce the
requirements of the Consent Decree. Though the University of
Puerto Rico will be paid using PREPA funds, it will report
directly to the EPA’s Caribbean Environmental Protection
Division in San Juan.
"EPA has been frequently inspecting PREPA facilities, and we
continue to seek compliance and payment of penalties where we
find problems," said William J. Muszynski, P.E., Acting EPA
Regional Administrator. "The University of Puerto Rico will
enhance these efforts by helping us keep the community
informed and giving us even more information about the status
of PREPA’s effort to comply."
In March 1999, a Consent Decree between PREPA and the United
States was entered in federal court, settling a lawsuit that
had been filed against PREPA in 1993. The Decree requires
PREPA to take both long and short-term actions to comply with
all federal environmental laws. In addition, PREPA is required
to undertake a number of environmental projects at a total
cost of more than $3.5 million. Among these projects is the
hiring of an Environmental Review Contractor (ERC).
The ERC contract will be managed by José A. Norat Ramírez,
Ph.D., J.D., a Professor in the Environmental Health
Department of the University’s Graduate School of Public
Health. Dr. Norat will be assisted by Environmental Technology
Group, Inc, a consulting firm that provides services to
clients in the U.S. and Latin America, in science, engineering
and all sectors of environmental engineering. Dr. Norat has
assembled a distinguished team of university professors,
researchers, engineers, environmental managers and
consultants, and graduate students who will perform the
functions required under the Consent Decree.
As the ERC, the University of Puerto Rico will work with
communities near PREPA plants to assist them in maintaining
up-to-date information about PREPA's compliance with the terms
of the Consent Decree agreed to by PREPA and EPA. The
University will carry out research of PREPA documents, data
and reports; conduct on-site inspections of PREPA facilities;
bring EPA, PREPA and citizens together at least once every two
months to discuss PREPA’s compliance with the Consent Decree;
and convey community concerns to PREPA and EPA relating to
PREPA’s compliance.
EPA continues to rigorously enforce the terms of the Consent
Decree, approved by the Federal Court more than two years ago.
EPA inspectors have conducted hundreds of inspections at the
PREPA plants. PREPA continues to report and EPA continues to
document serious violations. Since the Consent Decree became
final two years ago, PREPA has paid more than $650,000 in
stipulated penalties for violating various provisions of the
settlement.
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