The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 5, is issuing a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) and under the Clean Air Act to Aventine Renewable Energy, Mt. Vernon, Indiana (Aventine). Aventine violated conditions specified in their federally-enforceable Title V Permit and Section 112 of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. ? 7412, and the implementing National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants at 40 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart FFFF for Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Manufacturing.
Specifically, Aventine failed to meet federally-enforceable permit limits for the emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Aventine failed to maintain permit required operating parameters on pollution control equipment that may have contributed to emissions of volatile organic compounds above permit limits. Aventine allowed uncontrolled emissions of acetaldehyde, a hazardous air pollutant, from their fermentation process. EPA discovered these violations while inspecting the facility on September 29, 2011, and after reviewing data acquired from Aventine via an information request.
On September 18, 2012, EPA issued a Notice and Finding of Violation (NOV/FOV) to Aventine for these violations. Subsequently, Aventine demonstrated that it has made efforts to come into compliance. Specifically, Aventine repaired pertinent pollution control equipment associated with the violations. These repairs mitigated emissions of approximately 540 tons per year (TPY) of volatile orga