EPA v. Summit / Meadowlark

Case summary

This case involves a 700,000-barrel discharge of oil-contaminated produced water from Summit Midstream Partners, LLC and Meadowlark Midstream Company, LLC�s (Summit and Meadowlark) ruptured pipeline near Marmon, North Dakota, that polluted land, groundwater, and over 30 miles of tributaries of the Missouri River. The discharge occurred from August 2014 to January 2015. On August 5, 2021, after multiple years of investigation and negotiation, the United States and the State filed a Complaint asserting civil environmental claims relating to the discharge, and simultaneously lodged with the Court a Consent Decree that would resolve those claims. There was a thirty-day public comment period for the Consent Agreement, during which no comments were received. Under the proposed Consent Decree, the Summit and Meadowlark, and a related operating entity, Summit Operating Services Company, LLC, will clean up the contamination caused by the spill, implement comprehensive injunctive relief designed to prevent future violations, and pay an amount in natural resource damages. In addition, the Defendants will pay civil penalties. On September 28, 2021 the Consent Decree was entered by the Court.

Defendants (2)

• SUMMIT MIDSTREAMNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• MEADOWLARK MIDSTREAM COMPANY LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• MEADOWLARK MIDSTREAM COMPANY, LLC

  68TH ST NW & HWY 85, ATHENS TOWNSHIP, ND, 58801

  Registry ID: 110064097677

Statutes cited

• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit
• CWA 311B — Oil & Hazardous Substances Discharge

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• Summit / Meadowlarkentered 2021-09-28

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $10,000,000 · State/local: $10,000,000

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2015-07-15Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2015-07-24Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2021-08-05Complaint Filed With Court
• 2021-09-28Final Order Lodged
• 2021-09-28Final Order Entered