Fisher Sand and Gravel, a North Dakota-based aggregate producer, has reached a settlement agreement with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) after claims of air and water quality violation at some of its Arizona operations.
While Fisher received a fine in the settlement, more than half of the funds will not be collected by the ADEQ and instead directed to the implementation of an Intelex-powered Environmental Management System (EMS), which is expected to help the company avoid future violations and boost environmental stewardship. The EMS will feature a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the actions that Fisher undertakes to meet its business goals, and represents the company’s expanded commitment to environmental stewardship and the public health of the communities it serves.
The whole situation is a reminder of the fact that businesses can reduce the impact of fines by taking steps to proactively minimize the risk of future violations by implementing an electronic EMS, as with safety management, where businesses can curb OSHA fines by implementing streamlined, electronic safety management systems.
The implementation of an EMS adds to Fisher’s other sustainability commitments, including the use of rubberized asphalt, which reduces waste sent to landfill, as well as air separators that reduce water consumption. In recent years, Fisher also received awards for its safety performance and “outstanding” philanthropy.
According to the ADEQ, the implementation of an Intelex EMS is “a good first step” that will help Fisher “take its environmental obligations seriously and comply with the laws that protect the environment and public health.”
