EPA v. CALIFORNIA GULCH SFS/ASARCO & RESURRECTION MINING
Final Order No Penalty
Case summary
THE RESPONDENTS ENTER INTO THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON CONSENT TO PERFORM WORK IDENTIFIED BY EPA WHICH WILL PARTIALLY CHARACTERIZE THE RELEASE OR THREAT OF RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AT THE SITE IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR WELFARE OR THE ENVIRONMENT. MILL TAILING PILES AND WASTE ROCK PILES ARE FOUND WITHIN THE SITE. MILL TAILING IS THE ROCK DEBRIS REMAINING AFTER MILLING AND SEPARATION HAS REMOVED THE METAL AS CONCENTRATES FROM THE ORE. TAILING IS GENERALLY FINE-GRAINED PARTICLES. MINE WASTE ROCK CONSISTS OF MINE DEVELOPMENT ROCK AND LOW GRADE ORE REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS TO AN ORE BODY AND OFTEN DEPOSITED NEAR ADITS AND SHAFT OPENINGS. SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS, ALSO KNOWN AS HEAVY METALS, FOUND IN MILL TAILING AND WASTE ROCK ARE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. SMELTER OPERATIONS PREVIOUSLY OPERATED AT THE SITE ARE ANOTHER POTENTIAL SOURCE OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION. FUGITIVE DUST MAY BE GENERATED BY WIND EROSION, EARTH MOVEMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION, OFF-ROAD VEHICLES, AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON DIRT AND GRAVEL ROADS. DATA COLLECTED PURSUANT TO THE WORK PLAN IS INTENDED FOR USE IN EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL FOR MIGRATION OF METALS THROUGH VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA AND POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR WELFARE OR THE ENVIRONMENT.
Defendants (4)
- ASARCO INCORPORATEDNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
- CALIFORNIA GULCH SFSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
- RES-ASARCO JOINT VENTURENamed in complaintNamed in settlement
- RESURRECTION MINING COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
Facilities (1)
CALIFORNIA GULCH
S OF CY-YAK TUNNEL DOWNSTREAM, LEADVILLE, CO, 80461
Registry ID: 110006000521
Statutes cited
- CERCLA 106 — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order
Enforcement conclusions (1)
CALIFORNIA GULCH-SFSentered 1996-05-05
Primary law: CERCLA
Timeline (4 milestones)
- 1990-09-28Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
- 1992-06-29Enforcement Action Data Entered
- 1996-05-05Final Order Issued
- 1996-05-05Enforcement Action Closed
Case metadata
- EPA activity ID
- 49200
- Case number
- 08-1992-0215
- Lead agency
- EPA
- HQ division
- CER
- EPA region
- 08
- Multimedia
- No
- Voluntary self-disclosure
- No
- Primary statute
- Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order
Sourced verbatim from EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Report for case 08-1992-0215 . Bulk data: ICIS-FEC download summary.
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