EPA v. SUNOCO, INC. (R&M) AND SUN PIPE LINE COMPANY (JOHN HEINZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE)

Case summary

COURT ENTERED CONSENT DECREE - EPA AND SUNOCO SETTLE CLEAN WATER ACT PENALTY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF 2000 OIL SPILL IN JOHN HEINZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR $2,742,600. On or about February 2, 2000, a pipeline owned by Sun Pipeline Company and operated by Sunoco, Inc. (R&M) (collectively, Sunoco ) discharged approximately 4,571 barrels of oil from a subsurface pipeline into wetlands in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. The discharge occurred from a defective mitred joint on the pipeline. On July 27, 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice ( DOJ ) filed a civil Complaint against Sunoco in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, on behalf of the EPA and the Department of the Interior ( DOI ), acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ( FWS ). The Complaint seeks penalties under Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. ?? 1321, as well as Natural Resource Damages. At the same time, DOJ lodged a proposed Consent Decree ( CD ), which will settle this matter. Under the proposed CD, Sunoco would pay a civil penalty of $2,742,600 in cash, which would be paid to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, and $865,000 in Natural Resource Damages to resolve claims by the DOI. On September 28, 2005, the Court entered the Consent Decree.

Defendants (2)

• SUN PIPE LINE COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SUNOCO, INC. (R&M)Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• JOHN HEINZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

  8601 LINDBERG RD, PHILADELPHIA, PA, 19153

  Registry ID: 110064238016

Statutes cited

• CWA 311B — Oil & Hazardous Substances Discharge

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SUNOCO, INC. (R&M) AND SUN PIPE LINE COMPANYentered 2005-09-29

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $2,742,600

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 2001-03-28Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2001-03-30Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2005-07-27Complaint Filed With Court
• 2005-07-27Final Order Lodged
• 2005-09-29Concluded
• 2005-09-29Final Order Entered
• 2005-10-27Enforcement Action Closed