EPA v. US MAGNESIUM

Case summary

US Magnesium had a breach in their wastewater surface impoundment releasing 20 million pounds of acidic wastewater of a pH of 1 onto property owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The administrative order required US Mangesium to restrict access to BLM public lands by erecting a fence, properly address the cause of the breach and remediate affected soils. The facility reported a release of 8,827 pounds of hydrochloric acid. The pH was measured at 1 which is equivalent to 0.1 M HCL. This represents 2.4 million pounds of wastewater for HCL at this concentration.. The acidic water will evaporate by early this summer.

Defendants (1)

• RON THAYERNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• MAGNESIUM CORPORATION OF AMERICA

  15 MILES NORTH OF I-80 @ EXIT 77, ROWLEY, UT, 84116

  Registry ID: 110072152853

Statutes cited

• RCRA 7003 — Imminent Order: Solid or Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• US MAGNESIUMentered 2014-02-21

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2014-02-21Final Order Issued
• 2014-02-21Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2014-03-25Enforcement Action Data Entered