WESTFIELD - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection penalized Savage Arms $6,000 for violations of environmental regulations, including the discharge of more than 50,000 gallons a day of industrial wastewater in to the sewer system without a permit.

Savage used a pre-treatment process for the discharges. The violation occurred because it did not have a permit for the discharges, the state said.



The state announced the penalty Friday in a news release.

Savage has 700 employees, including 400 at its Westfield plant and headquarters. The company has revenues of about $200 million a year and sold 645,000 firearms last year, mostly bolt-action rifles. Savage represents a third of the total market for traditional firearms, according to the company.

The Department of Environmental Protection listed other violations including: the incorrect filing of a hazardous waste manifest and failures to conduct a combustion efficiency test on a boiler, complete a hazardous waste determination and complete Toxic Use Reduction Act filing and reporting requirements.

State regulators said Friday that Savage acted quickly to correct violations once made aware. Savage Arms will pay $4,000 of the penalty and MassDEP agreed to suspend $2,000 of the penalty pending Savage's compliance with the terms of the agreement.

"Hazardous waste, air quality and industrial wastewater regulations require industry to conduct testing, monitoring, reporting and keep accurate records to ensure compliance and proper management," said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP's Western Regional Office in Springfield. "We appreciate the immediate actions taken by the company to correct the violations and anticipate future diligence to result in continued compliance."