July 23, 2007
By Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested John G. Stedge, Chief Operating Officer Superior Tube Company, Inc. 3900 Germantown Pike Collegeville, PA 19426-2113 (Certified Mail No. 7004 0750 0002 8074 5762) Jeffrey M. Farina, Vice President for Engineering and Technology Accellent, Inc. 200 W. 7th Avenue Collegeville, PA 19426-2112 (Certified Mail No. 7004 0750 0002 8074 5779) Dear Mr. Stedge and Mr. Farina: This letter provides notice that Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) and Montgomery Neighbors for a Clean Environment (MNCE) intend to file a citizen suit against Superior Tube Company, Inc. (Superior) and Accellent, Inc. (Accellent) for violations of the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA), 35 P.S. §§ 6020.101-6020.1305. This notice is provided pursuant to 35 P.S. § 6020.1115. PennFuture is a statewide public interest conservation organization with offices in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. PennFuture's mission includes the improvement of Pennsylvania's environment by public education, advocacy, and litigation. MNCE is a group of citizens concerned about, among other things, air quality and the effect of toxic emissions on public health. Under HSCA: A person who has experienced or is threatened with personal injury or property damage as a result of a release of a hazardous substance may file a civil action against any person to prevent or abate a violation of this act or of any order, regulation, standard or approval issued under this act. 35 P.S. § 6020.1115. PennFuture members living near facilities in or near Collegeville, Pennsylvania owned and operated by your companies are threatened with personal injury or property damage by the release of a hazardous substance, trichloroethylene (“TCE”), from these facilities. TCE is a “hazardous substance” under HSCA. 35 P.S. § 6020.103 (incorporating 42 U.S.C. § 9601(14)). A "release” under HSCA includes emitting,
2 discharging, and escaping into the environment, including to the ambient air. 35 P.S. § 6020.103. According to data compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Superior and Accellent have emitted TCE into the air through stacks and as fugitive emissions since 1987 as follows (in pounds, includes most recent data available; "NR" means nothing reported for this time period): Superior Stack 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 NR 250 250 1950 52,165 52,150 79,368 213,582 233,160 215,000 199,506 224,050 215,309 200,786 155,747 132,407 124,154 Fugitive 210,970 133,860 168,298 166,131 175,902 137,573 121,840 21,581 53,039 20,200 5,611 9,070 9,202 8,895 9,317 10,673 11,057 Stack NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 82,673 82,262 65,368 113,630 90,862 101,503 98,396 109,787 123,203 Accellent Fugitive NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 57,717 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
3 2004 2005 130,505 129,577 10,414 8,390 126,925 117,010 NR NR
Source: Toxics Release Inventory, www.epa.gov/tri , and EPA Envirofacts Warehouse, http://www.epa.gov/enviro/ . Of all facilities in the United States, Superior and Accellent ranked fourth and fifth respectively for point source air releases of TCE in 2005. Under HSCA, it is unlawful to "[c]ause or allow a release of a hazardous substance." 35 P.S. § 6020.1108(1). Further, a release of a hazardous substance constitutes a public nuisance under HSCA. 35 P.S. § 6020.1101. Superior Tube and Accellent have violated and continue to violate HSCA by causing or allowing the release of TCE from their facilities. In response to these violations, PennFuture and MNCE intend to file a citizen suit under HSCA. In accordance with 35 P.S. § 6020.1115, this suit will seek to enjoin violations, obtain equitable relief, impose a civil penalty, recover litigation costs, including reasonable attorney and witness fees, and obtain such other relief as may be available under HSCA. We will also seek available remedies under 35 P.S. § 6020.702, including but not limited to costs of a health assessment/health effects study and, if applicable, costs of response. See, e.g., Redland Soccer Club, Inc. v. Department of the Army, 696 A.2d 137 (1997). The addresses of PennFuture and MNCE are as follows: PennFuture 610 North Third Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 Montgomery Neighbors for a Clean Environment P.O. Box 26569 Collegeville, PA 19426-0569
Please direct all communications regarding this matter to me at our Philadelphia office (address below). If you would like to discuss the matters identified in this letter or offer a proposal for resolving these issues, please contact me at (215) 545-9693. Sincerely,
Charles McPhedran, Senior Attorney PennFuture 1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100 Philadelphia, PA 19102 mcphedran@pennfuture.org
4 cc: Kathleen A. McGinty, Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson Office Building, 16th Floor P.O. Box 2063 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063 (Certified Mail No. 7004 0750 0002 8074 5786) Joseph Feola, Regional Director Department of Environmental Protection 2 East Main St. Norristown, PA 19401 (Certified Mail No. 7007 0220 00025 6275 0105) Joseph C. Dunbar, Township Manager Lower Providence Township 100 Parklane Drive Eagleville, PA 19403 (Certified Mail No. 7007 0220 0002 6275 0112) Chuck Sardo, Manager Borough of Trappe 525 West Main St. Trappe, PA 19426 (Certified Mail No. 7007 0220 0002 6275 0129) Mark Hammond, Esq. (Counsel for Superior) Drinker Biddle & Reath One Logan Square 18th and Cherry Streets Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996 (Certified Mail No. 7007 0220 0002 6275 0136) Carol McCabe, Esq. (Counsel for Accellent) Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox 401 City Avenue, Suite 500 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 (Certified Mail No. 7004 0750 0002 8074 5793) KKR Millennium GP LLC Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. 9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200 New York, NY 10019 (Certified Mail No. 7007 0220 0002 6275 0143)