EPA v. WALDEN RESOURCES, LLC

Case summary

9/29/10 - The United States settled a cost recovery and civil penalty action in U.S. v. Walden Resources, LLC; Daniel F. Potts; and ZTX Drilling, LLC. On January 26, 2010, the United States filed a complaint pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, 33 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq., to recover removal costs incurred by EPA, Region 4 in responding to a discharge of oil from a Walden Resources oil well in Anderson County, Tennessee. The discharge occurred on or about March 18, 2008. In the settlement, the U.S. will recover approximately $1.2 million in removal costs. In addition, the Defendants will pay a civil penalty of approximately $70,000 for violation of Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §1321. The action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Defendants (3)

• WALDEN RESOURCES, LLC (SB)Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• ZTX DRILLING, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• POTTS, DANIELNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• OIL SPILL (WALDEN RESOURCES, LLC)

  COVE LANE ROAD, OLIVER SPRINGS, TN, 37840

  Registry ID: 110042339029

Statutes cited

• CWA 311F — Oil Removal Cost Recovery
• CWA 311B — Oil & Hazardous Substances Discharge

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• WALDEN RESOURCES, LLC (04-2010-C027)entered 2010-09-29

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $69,948

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 2010-06-01Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2010-06-01Complaint Filed With Court
• 2010-07-07Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2010-09-29Final Order Lodged
• 2010-09-29Final Order Entered
• 2010-09-29Concluded
• 2012-11-06Enforcement Action Closed