The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced an $86,000 settlement with Tesla Motor Co. over hazardous waste violations at the company’s electric car plant in Fremont.
The violations were discovered during an unannounced visit by inspectors from the agency’s regional office in San Francisco in 2017. The settlement includes a $31,000 fine and a $55,000 payment to the Fremont Fire Department to buy emergency response equipment, including a drone with hazardous waste sensors and a second device to detect unauthorized drones that could impede an emergency response.
Tesla said in a statement that “all gaps identified in the inspection have been resolved by Tesla.”
The company said, “Tesla has made great strides in its environmental program since then.”
EPA Regional Administrator Mike Stoker said, “It’s vital that businesses comply with hazardous waste laws that keep facilities safe for workers and the community. We are pleased that this settlement will bring much needed emergency response equipment to the city of Fremont.”
The violations included failing to comply with air emissions standards for equipment leaks; violating management requirements for generators of hazardous wastes; and failing to make an adequate waste determination for certain solid waste generated at the plant, the EPA said.
Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. © 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Las Vegas police have arrested a 25-year-old woman in connection to the killing of a longtime Monterey doctor, police...
About 30,000 Comcast customers in Palo Alto are reporting intermittent service outages after a construction crew hit utility wires...
Firefighters are still putting out hot spots at a three-alarm business warehouse fire in Oakland that began Monday morning....
