EPA v. NPDES AK0050571 - COEUR ALASKA INC - KENSINGTON MINE (CWA NPDES)

Case summary

CWA ViolationsRegion 10 Settles with Coeur Alaska Inc. (Juneau, AK) for CWA Violations On July 15, 2019, Region 10 filed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) to address violations of the Clean Water Act by Coeur Alaska Inc?s Kensington Mine, located 45 miles north-northwest of Juneau, Alaska. Respondent, which operates an underground gold mine, was improperly releasing acid rock discharge without treatment in violation of the CWA and its Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) permit. Coeur Alaska Inc. has agreed to perform specific actions, including: ensuring compliance with a State issued remediation plan by continuing to use the acid rock discharge (ARD) treatment plant; sending a monthly compliance report to the EPA's case officer; ensuring access to the mine and mine records to EPA or EPA's designated representative; and preserving and maintaining all records relating to the AOC. The Environmental Benefits of this enforcement action will be a reduction in the quantity of pollutants discharged into Alaska?s marine waters by improving the mine?s treatment, monitoring, and sampling procedures.

Defendants (1)

• Coeur Alaska Inc.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• KENSINGTON GOLD MINE- APDES

  45 MILES NW OF JUNEAU, JUNEAU, AK, 99801

  Registry ID: 110055091699

• KENSINGTON GOLD MINE- APDES

  45 MILES NW OF JUNEAU, JUNEAU, AK, 99801

  Registry ID: 110055091699

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/402 — NPDES Permit Violations

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• NPDES AK0050571 - COEUR ALASKA INC - KENSINGTON MINE (CWA NPDES)entered 2019-07-15

  Primary law: CWA

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2019-05-23Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2019-07-15Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2019-07-15Final Order Issued
• 2021-10-05NPDES Closed
• 2021-10-05Enforcement Action Closed