EPA v. ENVEN ENERGY VENTURES, LLC fka PISCES ENERGY, LLC

Case summary

9/19/13 - ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ISSUED. AT ALL TIMES RELEVANT TO THIS ACTION, RESPONDENT OWNS AND/OR OPERATES AN OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS FACILITY AT LEASE BLOCK VIOSCA KNOLL (VK) 76, OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF (OCS) NO. G-09737, LOCATED IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE GULF OF MEXICO SEAWARD OF 200 METERS WATER DEPTH OF OFFSHORE AL AND FL AND SEAWARD OF THE OUTER BOUNDARY OF TERRITORIAL SEAS FOR OFFSHORE MS AND AL IN THE MOBILE AND VK LEASE BLOCKS OPERATING UNDER NPDES GENERAL PERMIT NUMBER GEG460000, COVERAGE NO. GEG460841. THE EPA REISSUED A GENERAL PERMIT FOR THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE OCS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO, NPDES PERMIT NO. GEG460000, FOR DISCHARGES FROM NEW AND EXISTING SOURCES IN THE OFFSHORE SUBCATEGORY OF THE OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION POINT EXTRACTION POINT SOURCE CATEGORY (40 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, PART 435, SUBPART A), WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT ON APR 1, 2010, AND WHICH WILL EXPIRE ON MAR 31, 2015. IN A LETTER POSTMARKED APR 22, 2010, RESPONDENT SUBMITTED A NOTICE OF INTENT FOR COVERAGE UNDER NPDES GENERAL PERMIT GEG460000, FOR DISCHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VK 76 BLOCK OF THE PISCES ENERGY FACILITY. EPA AUTHORIZED GENERAL PERMIT COVERAGE TO PISCES ENERGY PURSUANT TO NPDES PERMIT NO GEG 460000 THRU COVERAGE NO. GEG 460841 ON APR 22, 2010. THE PERMIT WILL EXPIRE ON MAR 31, 2015. THE PERMIT REQUIRES COMPLIANCE WITH THE EFFLUENT LIMITS SET FORTH IN THE PERMIT. IN ADDITION, THE PERMIT REQUIRES THAT RESPONDENT MONITOR ITS DISCHARGES AND SUBMIT DMRs QTRLY TO EPA. CWA 308(a) AUTHORIZES EPA TO REQUIRE THE OWNDER OR OPERATOR OF ANY POINT SOURCE TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROVIDE SUCH INFO AS THE EPA MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO DETERMINE IF ANY PERSON IS IN VIOLATION OF AN EFFLUENT LIMITATION, OR OTHER LIMITATION, PROHIBITION OR EFFLUENT STANDARD, PRETREATMENT STANDARD OR STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE. ON APR 11, 2013, EPA SENT THE RESPONDENT AN INFO REQUEST LETTER ISSUED PURSUANT TO CWA 308. THE 308 LETTER REQUIRED THAT RESPONDENT PROVIDE EPA DMRs FOR THE QTR ENDING DEC 2012 WITHIN 10 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THE INFO REQUEST. BASED ON RECORDS MAINTAINED BY EPA RESPONDENT FAILED TO SUBMIT THE REQUIRED INFO IN THE TIMEFRAME REQUIRED BY EPA'S 308 INFO REQUEST LETTER. EPA REGION 4 HAS DETERMINED THAT RESPONDENT HAS VIOLATED SECTION 308 OF THE CWA. ORDER REQUIRES: WITHIN 15 DAYS, RESPONDENT SHALL SUBMIT THE DMRs FOR THE QUARTER ENDING DEC 2012.

Defendants (2)

• ENVEN ENERGY VENTURES, LLCNamed in settlement
• PISCES ENERGY, LLCNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• PISCES ENERGY VK 76 WELL A

  G-9737, GULF OF MEXICO, GE, 00000

  Registry ID: 110038450342

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• ENVEN ENERGY VENTURES, LLC fka PISCES ENERGY, LLCentered 2013-09-19

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2013-09-19Final Order Issued
• 2013-09-21Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2013-11-20Enforcement Action Closed
• 2013-11-20NPDES Closed