EPA v. California Olive Ranch

Case summary

EPA and the California Olive Ranch (COR) Corporation signed this Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. In 2000, the company destroyed or degraded 53 acres of wetlands and other waters of the United States when they deep-ripped 500+ acres of a 733-acre site near Wyandotte Creek within the Feather River watershed. COR has provided some injunctive relief by setting aside as a conservation area a 156 acre portion of the ranch, and constructing 2.2 acres of seasonal wetlands on-site. Under terms of the AOC, an off-site, 40 acre vernal pool landscape will be purchased and preserved in perpetuity, and EPA will work with the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to identify an appropriate parcel

Defendants (1)

• California Olive Ranch CorporationNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• CALIFORNIA OLIVE RANCH

  LONE TREE AND CENTRAL HOUSE ROADS, GRIDLEY, CA, 95498

  Registry ID: 110013689650

Statutes cited

• CWA 404 — Permits for Dredge and Fill Material
• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• California Olive Ranch Corporationentered 2002-09-09

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2002-08-13Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2002-09-09Enforcement Action Closed
• 2002-09-09Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2002-09-09Final Order Issued