Environmental Protection Agency cites Brown for infractions

As part of an ongoing effort to uncover environmental infractions at colleges and universities, the Environmental Protection Agency cited Brown University for 15 violations in a release last week.

The EPA may fine Brown as much as $500,000 for storing hazardous chemicals without a permit, failing to sufficiently train people using the materials, having an inadequate contingency plan for an oil spill and labeling containers improperly, according to Mark Nickel, director of news services at Brown.

Brown was also cited for an oil spill that took place several years ago.

"We have over 300 laboratories," Nickel said. "It poses somewhat of a management hazard."

In addition to laboratories, painting studios and theater carpentry workshops were also sites that need attention, as storage of some paint supplies are also regulated.

Tim Conway, spokesman for the EPA's New England office, said yesterday that he believed universities "needed a wake-up call."

The EPA has inspected 11 New England colleges in the past several years, and Brown is the fourth institution to be fined.

According to the EPA's statement, the University of New Hampshire, Yale University and Boston University all have been cited for violations.

"I think that environmental compliance generally has not been given the highest priority [at colleges and universities]," Conway said.

"Universities handle significant amounts of hazardous waste . . . so they're a logical candidate to make sure they fall in the rules," he added.

Garth Walters, Princeton's director of environmental health and safety, said in an e-mail that each year Princeton releases a survey documenting the locations and amounts of various substances used on campus. Princeton also adheres to a federally mandated spill prevention control and countermeasures plan.

The hazardous waste enforcement group of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has inspected the University several times. Princeton has never been cited for a violation, Walters said. The University is generally inspected every three years.

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University spokeswoman Marilyn Marks said the EPA — which is a federal agency — has not visited Princeton.

In response to the EPA's report, Brown's risk management teams have been holding extra training sessions in addition to the regular sessions held throughout the year, Nickel said.

Nickel said the EPA bases fines on severity, efforts at remediation, and the duration of the incident. Brown will be meeting with the EPA in the coming months.