MEADVILLE — The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reached agreements with five subsidiaries of Vogel Holdings of Mars to resolve civil penalties and a permit appeal.

The settlements with Seneca Landfill, Vogel Disposal Service, Tri-County Industries, and Valley Waste Service total $682,500 and resolve penalties for violations at their facilities in Butler and Mercer Counties.

The agreements also resolve the appeals of civil penalty assessments issued to Seneca Landfill and Vogel Disposal Service.

These penalties include but are not limited to:

[naviga:li]Transportation and storage of waste without DEP approval[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Exceeding permitted daily waste volumes[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Failed to implement odor and erosion and sedimentation control measures[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Transporting and accepting a specific waste after the DEP issued an order prohibiting such acceptance[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Violations for transporting leaking loads[/naviga:li]

As part of the agreements, Seneca Landfill, Vogel Disposal Service, and Tri-County Industries, will start audit programs to report and improve environmental conditions at their waste operations. In addition, Seneca Landfill will evaluate odor control measures at the facility near Mars.