SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with FormFactor, Inc., that resolves claims of violations of the Clean Air Act at the company’s nickel-plating facility in Livermore, Calif. As part of the settlement, FormFactor will pay a civil penalty of $258,170. FormFactor has also certified that its Livermore facility is operating in compliance with the Clean Air Act.
“FormFactor’s failure to provide notice, properly document and keep records of emission controls means regulators like EPA -- and the public -- lacked critical information about the Livermore facility’s ability to operate safely,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This settlement exemplifies EPA’s commitment to hold accountable entities that fail to comply with federal laws that protect public health, workers and the environment.”
On June 9, 2021, the EPA conducted an inspection of the FormFactor nickel-plating facility in Livermore. Form Factor is required to create and maintain records detailing its compliance with the hazardous air pollutant regulations. Between 2017 and 2020, FormFactor failed to keep and submit annual compliance certification documentation that ensures the facility is correctly operating its air emission controls and following applicable management practices and equipment standards.
Established under the Clean Air Act, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are standards for hazardous air pollutants at various types of regulated facilities, like polishing and plating operations. NESHAP requires that regulated facilities use proper management practices and equipment standards to control hazardous air pollutants. Hazardous air pollutants are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects.
Learn more about EPA’s work on NESHAP compliance monitoring on the agency’s website.
For more information about EPA’s enforcement program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/basic-information-enforcement
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.
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