EPA v. Sinclair Operating Company, LLC (Crain City Tank Battery)

Case summary

On 2016 EPA Region 6 issued an Administrative Order (AO) under its authority pursuant to Section 309 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to Sinclair Operating Company, LLC (Respondent) located in Union County, Arkansas. The AO was issued for an unauthorized discharge of oil field brine and produced wastewater to a water of the U.S. The AO orders Respondent to: 1) Any continued discharge of pollutants is unauthorized and must cease immediately; 2) remove all brine from the flow path located between the facility and the tributary of Mill Creek; and 3) and remove sufficient amounts of brine which was discharged from the facility on or about January 26, 2016, from Mill Creek so that the TSS in the tributary downstream of the discharge is at or below background TSS levels. Respondent must respond to EPA within thirty days of receipt of the AO

Defendants (1)

• Sinclair Operating Company, LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SINCLAIR OPERATING COMPANY, LLC (CRAIN CITY) (SW4 S01 T17S R14W)

  SW4, S01 T 17S R 14W (33.2666153, -92.508091), EL DORADO, AR, 71730

  Registry ID: 110064516803

Statutes cited

• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Sinclair Operating Company, LLC (Crain City Tank Battery)entered 2016-06-16

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2016-06-16Final Order Issued
• 2016-08-22Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2016-09-30Enforcement Action Closed
• 2016-09-30NPDES Closed