The Jackson Laboratory settles with the EPA after successfully resolving compliance issues
| Date: April 2, 2009 |
The Jackson Laboratory has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pay fines associated with a November 2006 inspection. The Laboratory quickly addressed the issues identified during that inspection, most of which involved minor recordkeeping, and none of which represented any real threat to the environment or public safety. The Laboratory provided data that conclusively demonstrated that chemicals stored on its site did not pose a risk of explosion as originally alleged by the EPA.
The Jackson Laboratory considers environmental health and safety to be of the utmost importance. We are pleased that we have been able to resolve these issues with the EPA.
The fines of $161,680 were reduced from the $213,670 originally proposed by the EPA.
Most of the allegations stemming from the 2006 inspection were for minor paperwork lapses. For example, the Laboratory was cited for not formally notifying local and state fire and emergency response officials that it had rock salt, fuel oil and other common materials on the campus. Laboratory officials corrected their reporting procedures to meet this requirement.
The Laboratory operates at the highest safety standards, including procedures for handling the relatively small amounts of hazardous materials and waste present on its campus. Allegations relating to staff training for handling hazardous waste and chemicals were immediately addressed following the inspection.
The Jackson Laboratory is a nonprofit biomedical research institution based in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a facility in Sacramento, Calif. Its mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human disease, and to enable research and education for the global biomedical community. Its 38 research groups investigate the genetic basis of cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, diabetes and many other human diseases and disorders, as well as normal development, reproduction and aging. Jackson's research is contributing to a future of personalized medicine tailored to the unique genetic makeup of each individual.
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Contact(s): Joyce Peterson, 207-288-6058
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Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6058 (journalists only)
Main Jackson Laboratory phone: 207-288-6000
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org
