EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Alaska
16 formal actions at 9 of 37 plants · $331,818 in penalties · 2 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 16 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Alaska, 3 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 9 of the state's 37 plants, with $331,818 in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes permit violations (12 cases). EPA has inspected 2 plants in the state, 2 inspections in total. Every plant links to its profile, and every case to its report on EPA's ECHO site.
Recent enforcement actions in Alaska
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg WWTP Petersburg | Jul 2026 FY2026 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2026-0184 |
EPA's description: “On 7/1/2026, Region 10 issued an administrative order on consent to Petersburg Borough for its wastewater treatment facility. In 2024, Petersburg discovered that the diffuser, at the end of the…” | ||||||
| Skagway WWTP Skagway | Nov 2024 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $1,613 | ECHO 10-2025-0002 |
EPA's description: “On November 26, 2024, Region 10 filed an expedited settlement agreement resolving CWA violations of the Municipality of Skagway's wastewater permit at its wastewater treatment plant in Skagway,…” | ||||||
| Metlakatla Sewer Treatment Plant Metlakatla | Aug 2023 FY2023 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2023-0096 |
EPA's description: “On August 21, 2023, Region 10 issued an administrative order on consent ( Order ) to the Metlakatla Indian Community (MIC) for its Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located in the Metlakatla Indian…” | ||||||
| Palmer WWTP Palmer | Aug 2021 FY2015 | Judicial case | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $192,162 | ECHO 10-2015-0082 |
EPA's description: “On December 22, 2016, the United States and State of Alaska entered into a Consent Decree with the City of Palmer, Alaska, resolving violations of the Clean Water Act by the City at its municipal…” | ||||||
| Mendenhall Valley WWTP Juneau | Jul 2021 FY2000 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $30,000 | ECHO 10-2000-0095 |
EPA's description: “Clean Water Act violations.” | ||||||
| Mountain Point Wastewater Treatment Plant Ketchikan | Jun 2018 FY2017 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2017-0050 |
EPA's description: “On February 23, 2017, Region 10 issued a Compliance Order On Consent (COOC) resolving violations of the Clean Water Act by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, located in Ketchikan, Alaska. Respondent,…” | ||||||
| Mountain Point Wastewater Treatment Plant Ketchikan | Apr 2017 FY2017 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $9,250 | ECHO 10-2017-0051 |
EPA's description: “On March 28, 2017, Region 10 filed a consent agreement and final order resolving violations of the Clean Water Act by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, located in Ketchikan, Alaska. Respondent, which…” | ||||||
| Mendenhall Valley WWTP Juneau | Sep 2010 FY2000 | Administrative order | NPDES Discharge without a Permit | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2000-0206 |
EPA's description: “Clean Water Act violations.” | ||||||
| Charcoal Point WWTP Ketchikan | Feb 2007 FY2007 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order With Penalty | $39,000 | ECHO 10-2007-0029 |
EPA's description: “Respondent failed to comply with effluent limitations specified in NPDES permit # AK0021440 (ie. fecal coliform bacteria, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), copper, total…” | ||||||
| Juneau Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plant Juneau | Jan 2007 FY2006 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 10-2006-0323 |
EPA's description: “Respondent failed to prepare a Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) for their Combined Sewer System (CSS) per the conditions of their NPDES Permit. In April 2005, the city submitted a LTCP that did not meet…” | ||||||
Full case histories, milestones, violation types and EPA's complete case summaries for every plant are shown with a free Klarifi account. Create one
Largest penalties in Alaska
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmer WWTP Palmer | Aug 2021 FY2015 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $192,162 | $8.6M | ECHO 10-2015-0082 |
| 2 | Charcoal Point WWTP Ketchikan | Feb 2007 FY2007 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $39,000 | $229,781 | ECHO 10-2007-0029 |
| 3 | Mendenhall Valley WWTP Juneau and 1 other plant named in the case | Feb 2005 FY2005 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $36,793 | $25,000 | ECHO 10-2005-0055 |
| 4 | Mendenhall Valley WWTP Juneau | Jul 2021 FY2000 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $30,000 | — | ECHO 10-2000-0095 |
| 5 | Skagway WWTP Skagway | Dec 2006 FY2007 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $18,000 | $250,000 | ECHO 10-2007-0006 |
| 6 | Mountain Point Wastewater Treatment Plant Ketchikan | Apr 2017 FY2017 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $9,250 | $1,000 | ECHO 10-2017-0051 |
| 7 | Kenai STP Kenai | Jun 1980 FY1976 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $5,000 | — | ECHO 10-1976-0004 |
| 8 | Skagway WWTP Skagway | Nov 2024 FY2025 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $1,613 | $1,000 | ECHO 10-2025-0002 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 0 | — |
| FY2019 | 0 | — |
| FY2020 | 0 | — |
| FY2021 | 0 | — |
| FY2022 | 0 | — |
| FY2023 | 1 | — |
| FY2024 | 0 | — |
| FY2025 | 1 | $1,613 |
| FY2026 | 1 | — |
| FY2027 | 0 | — |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Alaska: questions
How many EPA enforcement actions have been taken against wastewater plants in Alaska?
EPA's enforcement records list 16 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Alaska, 3 of them since fiscal year 2020. They involve 9 of the state's 37 plants. Informal actions such as notices of violation are not counted here.
Which Alaska wastewater plant received the largest EPA penalty?
Palmer WWTP in Palmer: $192,162 assessed in fiscal year 2015 (CITY OF PALMER WWTP, Final Order With Penalty). Penalties are the amounts EPA records as assessed or agreed, not necessarily what was collected.
What does an EPA administrative order mean for a wastewater plant?
Most cases here are administrative orders under section 309 of the Clean Water Act: EPA finds permit violations, usually effluent limits or discharge without a permit, and orders the plant to return to compliance, often with a corrective action plan, a schedule and sometimes a penalty. Judicial cases go through the Department of Justice and typically end in a consent decree with a capital programme behind it. The latest case in Alaska is from Jul 2026.
Enforcement data: EPA ICIS-FE&C civil enforcement cases and ICIS compliance inspections, via ECHO. Penalties are the amounts assessed or agreed in each case as EPA records them. Latest case status in this data: Jul 2026.
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