EPA v. TENNECO OIL COMPANY

Case summary

1. SECTION 1431 OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT ( SDWA ), 42 U.S.C. SEC. 300I. 2. TENNECO OIL COMPANY LINCOLN COUNTY, OKLAHOMA 3. TENNECO OIL CO., ET AL., HAVE ENGAGED IN OIL AND GAS PRO- DUCTION ACTIVITIES ON THE SAC AND FOX NATION SINCE 1925. THE SAC AND FOX HISTORICALLY OBTAINED THEIR DRINKING WA- TER FROM THE VAMOOSA-ADA AQUIFER VIA WELLS LOCATED ON THE NATION. IN THE 1950S AND 1960S, THE SAC AND FOX BEGAN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY OF THEIR DRINKING WATER. THE WATER EVENTUALLLY BECAME SO CONTAMINATED WITH OIL- FIELD BRINE AND OTHER OILFIELD PRODUCTS THAT IT WAS UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. 1N 1974, THE SAC AND FOX NATION LEASED PROPERTY AND DRILLED NEW DRINKING WATER WELLS INTO AN UNCONTAMINATED PORTION OF THE AQUIFER TWO MILES OFF THE RESERVATION. SAMPLING OF THE PORTION OF THE AQUIFER UNDERLYING THE SAC AND FOX NATION HAS INDICATED THE PRE- SENCE OF EXCESSIVE CONCENTRATIONS OF BENZENE, SODIUM AND CHLORIDE. THE CONTAMINATION OF THE VAMOOSA-ADA AQUIFER WAS CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENT OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION ACT- IVITIES OF TENNECO OIL CO., ET AL., RESULTING IN THE MI- GRATION OF BRINE INTO THE AQUIFER THROUGH IMPROPERLY PLUGGED PRIMARY PRODUCTION, SECONDARY RECOVERY AND SALT WATER DISPOSAL WELLS AS WELL AS THE LEACHING OF BRINE IN- TO THE AQUIFER FROM THE SURFACE PITS. THIS CASE HAS BEEN SELECTED BY DOJ FOR INCLUSION IN THE DOJ/EPA ENVIRONMENT- AL JUSTICE INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FEB. 11, 1995, BY ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO. 4. THE REFERRAL REQUESTS RELIEF IN THE FORM OF AN INJUNCTION AGAINST FURTHER CONTAMINATION OF THE VAMOOSA-ADA AQUIFER, THE PLUGGING OF ALL IMPROPERLY PLUGGED WELLS ON THE SAC AND FOX NATION, THE COSTS OF OBTAINING ALTERNATIVE DRINK- ING WATER SUPPLIES FOR THE NATION AND, IF FEASIBLE, THE REMEDIATION OF THE AQUIFER. 5. THE REFERRAL WAS SENT TO DOJ ON JAN. 23, 1995.

Defendants (1)

• TENNECO OIL COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• TENNECO OIL COMPANY

  P O BOX 628, AMES, OK, 73718

  Registry ID: 110007731240

Statutes cited

• SDWA 1431 — Emergency Powers

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• TENNECO OIL COMPANYentered 1997-06-02

  Primary law: SDWA

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1995-01-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1995-01-27Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1996-01-31Complaint Filed With Court
• 1997-01-22Final Order Lodged
• 1997-06-02Final Order Entered
• 1997-06-02Concluded
• 2001-02-14Enforcement Action Closed