DATE: October 3, 2003
TO: Interested Media
FROM: Mike Zavosky, FDEP, Southwest District
RE: Coronet Warning Letter

The Department of Environmental Protection issued a Warning Letter to Coronet Industries today regarding groundwater violations at its facility in eastern Hillsborough County. Attached is a copy. As indicated in the Warning Letter, the company has 15 days from receipt of this letter to respond to the Department.

# # #

October 3, 2003

CERTIFIED MAIL NO. 7099 3400 0004 3918 2254

RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Mr. Mike Nagashima
Chief Operating Officer
Coronet Industries, Inc.
Post Office Box 760
Plant City, Florida 33564-0760

Re: Warning Letter No. WN03-0018IW-29-SWD
Coronet Industries, Inc.
Permit No. FL0034657
Hillsborough County

Dear Mr. Nagashima:

The purpose of this letter is to advise you of possible violations of law for which you may be responsible, and to seek your cooperation in resolving the matter. Sampling results from ground water monitoring wells sampled on August 12, 27, and 28, 2003, and received by the Department on September 23, 2003, indicate that a violation of Florida Statutes and Rules may exist as noted below.

The following shallow and intermediate monitoring wells showed violations of the ground water standards for Gross Alpha, Radium-226 (Total Radium) and Sodium at the property boundary as indicated in the following table:

Parameter
GW Quality Standard
SPB-MW2
SPB-MW3
SPB-MW4
SPB-MW3I
SPB-MW4I

Gross Alpha
15 pCi/L
45.8 pCi/L
378 pCi/L
33.3 pCi/L
40.1 pCi/L
43.7 pCi/L

Radium-226
5 pCi/L
Below standard
30.8 pCi/L
19.5 pCi/L
25.6 pCi/L
24.0 pCi/L

Sodium
160 mg/L
550 mg/L
1500 mg/L
560 mg/L
250 mg/L
300 mg/L

Condition Number III.4 of Permit Number FL0034657 indicates that the facility shall ensure that the water quality standards for Class G-II ground water are not exceeded at or beyond the boundary of the ground water zone of discharge according to Sections 62-520.420 and 62-520.400, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). Condition Number III.3 indicates that the zone of discharge shall extend horizontally from the ground water discharge site boundary to the permittee’s property line.

Coronet Industries, Inc.

Warning Letter # WN03-0018IW-29-SWD

Page 2 of 2

3. In addition, results from monitoring wells SPBMW-3I and SPBMW-4I indicated levels of Boron above the 0.63 mg/L guidance concentration established in Chapter 62-777, F.A.C. as a default cleanup target level (CTL) applicable to all contaminated sites where contamination is the result of discharges of pollutants or hazardous substances.

Section 403.161(1)(a), Florida Statutes (F.S.), provides that it is a violation for any facility to cause pollution so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant or aquatic life or property. Also, Section 403.088, F.S. provides that no person, without written authorization, shall discharge into waters within the State any waste, which, by itself or in combination with the wastes of other sources reduces the quality of the receiving water below the classification, established for them.

Any activities at your facility that may be contributing to violations of the above rules should be ceased. The operation of a facility in violation of State statutes or rules may result in liability for damages and restoration, and the judicial imposition of civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation per day pursuant to Sections 403.141 and 403.161, Florida Statutes.

You are requested to contact Ms. Yanisa Angulo of this office at (813) 744-6100, extension 404, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of this Warning Letter to arrange a meeting to discuss this matter. The Department is interested in reviewing any facts you may have that will assist in determining whether any violations have occurred. You may bring anyone with you to the meeting that you feel could help resolve this matter.

Please be advised that this Warning Letter is part of an agency investigation, preliminary to agency action in accordance with Section 120.57(4), Florida Statutes. This letter only addresses the above-mentioned violations and does not affect the right of the Department to pursue any other violations not specifically identified in this letter. We look forward to your cooperation in completing the investigation and resolution of this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Deborah A. Getzoff
District Director
Southwest District

DAG/ib/jp
cc: Vince Seibold, FDEP TAL
David O’Brien, FDEP TAL
Larry Morgan, FDEP OGC
Sam Elrabi, HCEPC
Bill Kutash, FDEP SWD
Cece McKiernan, FDEP SWD
Merritt Mitchell, FDEP SWD