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Veolia Water Wants St. Louis

Indianapolis

Even though Veolia cited its work in Indianapolis as a successful model to guide its work in St. Louis, the contract in Indianapolis was terminated by city because of concerns about overcharging, low water quality, falsified water quality reports, staff cutbacks, cutbacks in water testing, water treatment and maintenance (see: Indiana-Veolia-Cause 43645 6-30-09 11Indiana Utility Regulation Commission, Final Order)

In its proposal to the St. Louis Water Division, Veolia extensively references its work in Indianapolis as a successful model that could inform Veolia's guidance in St. Louis. Under Veolia's management, Indianapolis' water record included:

In a study of 100 large U.S. cities, Environmental Working Group ranked Indianapolis drinking water quality #90 (i.e. 11th-worst overall) in 2009.

In 2005, a federal grand jury subpoenaed four Veolia Indianapolis employees as part of an investigation into allegations that the utility falsified water quality reports. The probe began amid accusations by Indianapolis council members that the company had cut back on staffing, water testing, treatment chemicals and maintenance.

In 2010, with infrastructure needs mounting and Veolia demanding more than the city could afford, Indianapolis canceled the contract more than 10 years early, for which they were forced to pay Veolia an additional $29 million. The nonprofit Citizens Energy Group took over, positioned to save the city more money than multinational Veolia was ever able to.

Veolia's record demonstrates how the company operates, profits and exploits public utilities.

In other Veolia divisions- sewage treatment and water systems- the company’s record is no better. Volumes have been printed documenting the company’s shortcomings. Here are a few:

• The company reached a $15 million settlement in a class action lawsuit with customers of Winona, Minnesota for overcharging.
• It reached a $1.9 million settlement with the City of Richmond over disputes about contract performance and later the contract was cancelled amid complaints about odor and concerns about capital investments.
• In June 2010 Bloomberg News reports that Veolia advised about 50,000 people in eastern and northern France to temporarily stop drinking tap water because of bacterial contaminants.
• In January 2012 the Waste Business Journal reports that a class action lawsuit was filed against Veolia for misleading investors.
• In New Orleans, Veolia acquired a wastewater contract in New Orleans in the 1990's under its old name, US Filter. In 2001 and 2002, the plant released raw sewage into the river a total of 50 times, often violating water quality standards and resulting in more than $107,000 in fines. An audit concluded that "Observation of these plants' activities, as well as the serious problems reported above, indicate a reduced concern for operations and maintenance by the contractor." The city's Sewerage and Water Board Director and staff made numerous, repeated and documented complaints about Veolia reducing staff to inadequate levels, neglecting preventive maintenance, failing to notify city officials of environmental violations, and other problems. Veolia had a long track record of failing to communicate with New Orleans in connection with the contract. In 2002, the board rejected Veolia's bid for a new water/wastewater contract following public outrage.
• In Sauget, IL, right across the river from St. Louis, a Veolia subsidiary operates a hazardous waste incinerator. On Sept. 27, 2006 Veolia Environmental Services- Sauget, IL was issued a violation notice for Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act violations. The nature of the violations included uncontrolled emissions of volatile organic material, exceeding National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for toxic metals arsenic, beryllium and chromium; failure to properly operate equipment to prevent releases of hazardous air pollutants like benzene and vinyl chloride; improper monitoring for leak detection and repair; failure to operate equipment in a matter consistent with good air pollution control practice for minimizing emissions. The pollution resulting from these violations contributes to the formation of ground level ozone, aggravating asthma and respiratory problems and increasing health risks including birth defects and cancers.Most recently, EPA has reopened the Veolia air permit at its hazardous waste incinerator in reponse to its request to increase its metals waste feed rates. The EPA rejected some of the company’s assertions and is considering increased monitoring requirements to ensure compliance after findng the company’s reporting to be ‘unreliable’
  

There's more from California, Massachusetts, Texas, Georgia, Delaware, Belgium, Gabon, and Australia...You can dig deeper at the links above.

The extensive information about this company’s record across the country and around the world makes it clear that St. Louis should dump Veolia and find U.S. companies with good performance records to help solve the challenges of outdated water infrastructure.

Thanks for taking action!

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Veolia Hazardous Waste Incinerator in Sauget, Illinois

Public Hearing February 19, 2013

3 p.m.-7p.m.

5 Minutes from the Arch at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus

Distance Learning Lab, Room 2083, Building B

601 James R. Thompson Blvd., East St. Louis, IL 

BACKGROUND

The Environmental Protection Agency is holding a Public Hearing on the Veolia Hazardous Waste Incinerator Clean Air Act Operating Permit.  The agency is changing the heavy metals feed rate limits and monitoring requirements.

Join us in urging the agency to increase monitoring on all incineration units on site in order to ensure that the community is not exposed to an additional burden of heavy metal exposures, especially mercury. Mercury can pollute waterways and become a factor in human health through the consumption of fish. Mercury exposure interferes with brain and nervous system development. Methylmercury, the form it takes in fish, can lead to deficits in cognitive thinking, memory, language, motor and visual spatial skills in children who are exposed in the womb, which is why pregnant and nursing women are warned not to eat fish.

An air operating permit contains all of the air pollution requirements that apply to a facility.  This includes limits for certain types of air pollution as well as what facilities must do to monitor and report their air pollution.  The US EPA is making changes to the company’s air operating permit and is holding a hearing where the public can submit comments.  EPA is proposing changes to some of the pollution limits for specific hazardous emissions.  These pollutants are known or suspected to cause serious health problems such as cancer or birth defects, and are referred to as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).  Hazardous waste incinerators are regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The CAA protects human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution by requiring reductions in the emissions of the most dangerous air pollutants. 

WHY ATTEND

Even if you are unfamiliar with the legal or technical aspects of an environmental decision, your voice matters!  By participating in the process, you can provide input about how environmental decisions are made and impact you.  This is an opportunity for community members to express their thoughts and concerns related to this facility and air pollution. 

• Citizens can offer a wide range of perspectives, views, and experiences that are not necessarily represented by the government or regulated industries.
  
• Environmental agencies can serve the public more effectively when they understand the environmental needs and concerns of the public.
• Hearing from other interested individuals and groups can provide a more balanced picture for agencies to consider. 

For more details and documents please call Kathleen Logan Smith at (314) 727-0600.