PORTLAND, OR - Window manufacturer Jeld-Wen has entered a consent decree with the Dept. of Justice to settle EPA claims that it violated Clean Air Act rules at plants in four states. The original case was filed in April.

Without admitting liability, Jeld-Wen will pay $850,000 in the case, filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency in April in U.S. District Court of Oregon. The EPA alleges Jeld-Wen did not obtain a preconstruction permit in connection with modifications to its plant in White Swan, WA, under EPA's self-policing policy. EPA also lodged claims against Jeld-Wen regarding plants in Craigsville, WV, Dubuque, IA, and Marion, NC. (The consent decree was originally proposed for Jeld-Wen April 27, 2011 and published in the Federal Register.) 

A copy of the final consent decree, filed August 4, 2011, obtained by Woodworking Network from the U.S. District Court in Oregon, shows half the payment will go to the Department of Justice; the remainder will be split evenly between Iowa, West Virginia and North Carolina.

In addition, among other measures, Jeld-Wen agreed to avoid use of formaldehyde compounds in panel processing, and could spend over $2 million in maximum achievable control technology (MACT) boiler emission reduction measures in the four states: $462,204 in Washington; $766,288 in West Virginia; $884,666 in North Carolina; and $386,843 in Iowa.