EPA Fines Charter Schools for Asbestos Violations

Read the May 2008 Press Release from the EPA regarding the fines assessed against a company managing charter schools in Arizona for asbestos violations.

EPA Fines Arizona Company $18,500 for Asbestos School Violations

Release date: 05/15/2008
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov

(05/15/08) SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently fined Portable Practical Education Preparation, Inc., $18,500 for alleged violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.

The company holds charters for 12 Arizona charter schools. Arizona Charter schools are public, state-funded schools constituted within the state of Arizona.

In May 2006, the EPA inspected the Celestino Fernandez Learning Center and found that the school was unable to present an asbestos management plan. The EPA found PPEP had not conducted inspections nor had asbestos management plans for some of its schools. The Alice S. Paul school, which had an asbestos management plan, was not re-inspected within the three year time frame required by federal law.

“Organizations responsible for charter schools need to understand their facilities must meet all of the federal asbestos in schools requirements, as failure to do so can result in penalties,” said Katherine Taylor, associate director for the Communities and Ecosystems Division in the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “Asbestos can potentially endanger the health of students, teachers, and maintenance workers at schools, so we are pleased the PPEP charter schools have now conducted inspections and its asbestos management plans are in place.”

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