Boat manufacturer to pay $134K for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined Cobalt Boats LLC for violating the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The company, which manufactures motorboats, will have to pay $133,780 in civil penalties to resolve the issue. The EPA alleges that the company’s Neodesha, Kansas, production plant creates a large amount of hazardous waste and did not comply with regulations designed to prevent the release of such waste. According to the EPA, Cobalt Boats failed to take steps to minimize the possibility of a fire, explosion, or unplanned release of hazardous waste, did not maintain proper records, and failed to monitor pumps and valves to detect potential leaks of hazardous waste.
In a recent quote, David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, said, “This settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to protect communities from releases of hazardous waste. The Agency is also committed to leveling the playing field for companies that comply with federal law.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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