EPA v. COEUR D'ALENE BASIN

Case summary

SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST EIGHT COMPANIES FOR EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY THEIR MINING OPERATIONS IN THE COEUR D'ALENE RIVER BASIN IN NORTHERN IDAHO. THE COST OF RESTORING THE RIVER AND THE SURROUNDING AREA IS ESTIMATED IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE AREA COVERS OVER 1,500 SQUARE MILES AND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AREAS IN THE U.S. THE COMPLAINT FILED ON MARCH 22, 1996, IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN BOISE, ID ALLEGES THAT MORE THAN 70 MILLION TONS OF MINE WASTES HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED BY THE COMPANIES INTO THE COEUR D'ALENE RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. AS A RESULT OF THE COMTAMINATION, BIRDS, FISH AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS, ALONG WITH FEDERAL LANDS, HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. FOUR CONSENT DECREES HAVE BEEN ENTERED IN THIS CASE, THE LAST (HECLA) ON SEPT. 9, 2011. SEVERAL SMALLER PARTIES ARE BEING PURSUED UNDER ICIS CASE NO. 10-2008-0066. The Hecla settlement (Order #4)is a CERCLA cash-out settlement pursuant to section(s) 107 and/or 122(b)(3) of CERCLA. Due to system limitations it is currently coded as being pursuant to Section 122(a) of CERCLA to allow for reporting the Volume of Contaminated Media addressed by the settlement as well as the Value of Complying Actions in ICIS. This data will be corrected once appropriate modifications are made to ICIS.

Defendants (34)

• SUNSHINE PRECIOUS METALSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SILVER MOUNTAIN LEAD MINES, INCNamed in complaint
• UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CONamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• WILLIAM ZANETTINamed in complaint
• ZANETTI BROTHERS, INC.Named in complaint
• ALICE CONSOLIDATEDNamed in complaint
• ASARCO, INCORPORATEDNamed in complaint
• ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY (ARCO)Named in complaint
• BLACKHAWK MINING AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANYNamed in complaint
• BURLINGTON NORTHERN AND SANTA FE RR CONamed in complaint
• CALLAHAN CONSOLIDATED MINES, INCNamed in complaint
• CALLAHAN MINING CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COEUR D'ALENE MINES CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COEUR SILVER VALLEY, INC.Named in settlement
• CONSTITUTION MINING COMPANYNamed in complaint
• DOUGLAS MINING COMPANYNamed in complaint
• FEDERAL MINING AND SMELTING, INC.Named in complaint
• GOLCONDA MINING CORPORATIONNamed in complaint
• GOLDBACK VENTURES, INCNamed in complaint
• GOVERNMENT GULCH MINING CO.Named in complaint
• GREEN HILL CLEVELAND MINING COMPANYNamed in complaint
• GROUP R CO., INCNamed in complaint
• PHILIPP BROTHERS, INC.Named in complaint
• SIDNEY MINING COMPANYNamed in complaint
• SIGNAL SILVER-GOLD, INCNamed in complaint
• …and 9 more

Facilities (1)

• BUNKER HILL MINING & METALLURGICAL COMPLEX

  805 WASHINGTON ST, SMELTERVILLE, ID, 83868

  Registry ID: 110005782643

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 122A — Agreement to Perform Work Under 104B
• CERCLA 107A — Cost Recovery

Enforcement conclusions (4)

• SUNSHINE MINING & REFINING & SUNSHINE PRECIOUS METentered 2001-01-18

  Primary law: CERCLA

• COEUR D'ALENE MINES CORP & CALLAHAN MINING CORPentered 2001-05-14

  Primary law: CERCLA

• UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANYentered 2000-08-25

  Primary law: CERCLA

• COEUR D'ALENE BASIN Hecla Miningentered 2011-09-08

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 1996-03-19Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1996-03-19Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1996-03-22Complaint Filed With Court
• 2011-06-13Final Order Lodged
• 2011-09-08Final Order Entered
• 2011-09-08Concluded