Region 10 News Release: Usibelli Coal Mine, near Healy, Alaska, agrees to pay $60,000 EPA penalty for Clean Water Act violations

Usibelli Coal Mine, near Healy, Alaska, agrees to pay $60,000 EPA penalty for Clean Water Act violations

Contact Info: Eva DeMaria, EPA NPDES Compliance Unit, (206) 553-1970, demaria.eva@epa.gov
Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Seattle – January 20, 2011) – Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc., owner of an open-pit coal mine near Healy in Alaska’s central interior, has signed a Consent Agreement and Final Order that resolves water permit violations and numerous unpermitted discharges. As part of the Agreement, Usibelli will pay a $60,000 penalty to EPA.

According to documents associated with the case, the Mine had 11 unpermitted discharges into the Nenana River, Hoseanna Creek, Sanderson Creek, and Francis Creek between April 2007 and July 2010. During that time, they also had 10 violations of their discharge permit limits.

According to Edward Kowalski, Director of EPA’s Regional Office of Compliance and Enforcement, mining responsibly means paying attention and looking ahead to prevent future problems.

“Many of these discharges could have been minimized or avoided,” said EPA’s Kowalski. “By simply using and maintaining best management practices, we believe this penalty could have been avoided. Mining responsibly means making water quality protection a top priority.”

Sanderson Creek, Hoseanna Creek, Francis Creek, and nearby gravel ponds are all classified by the State of Alaska as suitable for use as water supply, water recreation, and growth and propagation of fish, shellfish, other aquatic life, and wildlife.

Usibelli has 30 days from the signature date to pay the fine and settle the case.

For more about how EPA works to protect America’s waters from pollution, please visit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/

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