Plant that discharged ammonia signs DOJ consent decree

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A company that failed to report a large-scale ammonia discharge from its plant near St. Helens and annual ammonia emission estimates has entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Dyno Nobel has agreed to pay a $492,000 fine and buy $931,500 in fire emergency equipment for area responders to handle environmental emergencies.

The Utah-based company’s civil settlement with federal officials comes a year after the company paid a $250,000 fine for releasing more than six tons of anhydrous ammonia vapor into the air from the plant over three days starting on July 30, 2015. The company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial explosives.

A company spokesman said Dyno Nobel has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the past eight years to address these matters.