Firebird International Raceway in trouble with EPA (2 Viewers)

[Badcocrewman]

(From azcentral.com)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has fined Firebird International Raceway nearly $32,000 for hazardous waste violations.

EPA inspectors say they discovered four hazardous waste violations at the Chandler facility in July 2006.

Firebird International Raceway hosts various car and boat racing events throughout the year.

The EPA says the wastes generated from racing events include various types of aerosol cans and used oil contaminated with racing fuels, brake and carburetor cleaners, and other engine fluids.

The fine of $31,851 was announced Tuesday by the EPA, which is based in San Francisco. There was no immediate comment from Firebird International Raceway officials.

 

[Randy]

Well, here they come. I think I predicted it, but was accused of making "political" comments.

The EPA found an easy 30 large. Look for them to walk into many/most racing facilities in the future.

RG

.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Whew!! I thought they were going to test the lake water! That fine would've been 8 digits.

 

[Badcocrewman]

That is only the fine, what about what the cost will be to clean up the land. Maybe the Indians will get the land back after all.

 

[yoda]

Whew!! I thought they were going to test the lake water! That fine would've been 8 digits.

The lake? I thought they had gone into the head.....

 

[JHOLE]

Well, here they come. I think I predicted it, but was accused of making "political" comments.

The EPA found an easy 30 large. Look for them to walk into many/most racing facilities in the future.

RG

.

Tip of the iceberg...

People have no idea what the scope of their gov't has until they get met with it...

You're right on track. It aint political - it's real ...

 

[The Counterfeiter]

That is only the fine, what about what the cost will be to clean up the land. Maybe the Indians will get the land back after all.

The Gila River Indian Community, which is a sovereign nation by federal law, still owns the land. FIRP has a long term lease. I'm very surprised to hear EPA has the authority to levy fines on Tribal land, and perhaps it doesn't. If this goes to court, I have reason to believe that the case would wind up in a Tribal Court. Should be interesting.
This a unique situation. If the EPA starts poking around at NHRA and/or privately owned tracks, this will become a nightmare. JMHO

 

[clwill]

Some of the places we race have plenty of trash cans, empty them often, have oil drain facilities that are clearly marked, remind people to dispose of stuff properly, and so on.

Others don't seem to give a crap, with random drums of god knows what lying all over the place. They never seem to collect the trash, and don't seem to care what people do. They're just this side of superfund sites.

Never raced at Firebird, but I've been there as a spectator. The public rest rooms should be declared hazardous waste dumps, let alone the rest of the place. To blame the government for cracking down on that mess of a place is pointing the finger in the wrong direction.

 

[ex-nsp]

Wow, I was under the impression, like everybody, I think, that Firebird was on sovereign Indian (Native Aerican) land.


This could be- come another Wounded Knee situation!

ACLU where are you?

P.S. Last time I was there, I thought the facility's trash pickup was one of the best I'd seen.

After all, the border is only an hour away and there's an ongoing supply of eager workers.

 

[Taunsie]

Hope to God, the government snoops do not walk through the fuel pits during warm ups. When the see the disclaimer on the nitro drums and see the green fog raising into the sky, holy sh---t. The noice issue brings attention to the events, the clock is clicking

 

[Old Guy Rookie]

Doesn't look like it'll come out of Firebird's pocket though, supposedly they had a company who was supposed to take care of it and farmed it out to a sub who wasn't doing the job. For the locals, this is out of the New Times today.

"We use a company called Safety Clean to move this stuff and they hired a subcontractor. The EPA went through paperwork that wasn't even ours to make this determination, but in the end it still comes back us," Allen says. "Safety Clean is paying the fine, though."

 

[Randy]

Never raced at Firebird, but I've been there as a spectator. The public rest rooms should be declared hazardous waste dumps, let alone the rest of the place. To blame the government for cracking down on that mess of a place is pointing the finger in the wrong direction.

In your world...

Just wait for the C&T effects to hit. I think ESPN2 needs to stop interviewing fans talking about the noise and watering eyes. They are inviting trouble.

.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

The Gila River Indian Community, which is a sovereign nation by federal law, still owns the land. FIRP has a long term lease. I'm very surprised to hear EPA has the authority to levy fines on Tribal land, and perhaps it doesn't. If this goes to court, I have reason to believe that the case would wind up in a Tribal Court. Should be interesting.
This a unique situation. If the EPA starts poking around at NHRA and/or privately owned tracks, this will become a nightmare. JMHO

Even the Sovereign Native Nations are subject to US Federal Government regulations when it involves the aquifer.

 

[clwill]

In your world...

I forgot, Randy, your world is coming to an end. Sucks for you.

 

[Bob]

I forgot, Randy, your world is coming to an end. Sucks for you.

Unbelievable. Hey Chris, they are coming after you, your cars and the race tracks you race on. You can sit back and mock those fighting this crap. It is a crying shame you don't realize they are fighting for you too.

 

[yoda]

Unbelievable. Hey Chris, they are coming after you, your cars and the race tracks you race on. You can sit back and mock those fighting this crap. It is a crying shame you don't realize they are fighting for you too.

 

[Al smith]

its not paranoia. decades ago NHRA was booted out of Sanair Quebec because Canada had no leaded fuel exemption unless you were a farm tractor. (at least that the excuse that was given at the time) Just think for a moment about the lack of controls over fuel evaporation during transfer, oil spillage, solvent evaporation, (and we go through cases of brakekleen for just three runs). and just look at the gas masks worn by crew members during warm ups in the pits. What do you suppose a tree hugger thinks when they see those masks? everywhere you look there's a perceived violation for some government employed tree hugger with dollar signs in their eyes to pass new legislation which will employ them for decades to come. We don't need no "feel good" legislation to fly through the courts and become law as we remain silent.

 

[clwill]

It is a crying shame you don't realize they are fighting for you too.

Now there's a Freudian slip if I ever saw one.

 

[Bill]

My old girlfriend had several Freudian slips.. they were mainly pink, but she had this one blue one, with white lace, for "special occasions"... dynomite!!!!

 

[yoda]

its not paranoia. decades ago NHRA was booted out of Sanair Quebec because Canada had no leaded fuel exemption unless you were a farm tractor. (at least that the excuse that was given at the time) Just think for a moment about the lack of controls over fuel evaporation during transfer, oil spillage, solvent evaporation, (and we go through cases of brakekleen for just three runs). and just look at the gas masks worn by crew members during warm ups in the pits. What do you suppose a tree hugger thinks when they see those masks? everywhere you look there's a perceived violation for some government employed tree hugger with dollar signs in their eyes to pass new legislation which will employ them for decades to come. We don't need no "feel good" legislation to fly through the courts and become law as we remain silent.

As I recall, NHRA backed out of Sanair because of the leaded fuel problem that was going to take out a good chunk of competitors from COMP down as well as Pro Stock, but the biggest kicker was that waivers couldn't be obtained en masse for the transporters used to tow the cars to the track in the first place (this was before everyone was rockin an diesel 18-wheeler). NHRA looked at the value of a race that required almost every race team to make a very difficult border crossing (and the background check- and resulting fines and tarrifs- that came along with it) and decided it was a plug worth pulling.