EPA Orders MMHF, LLC to Stop Discharging Toxic Pollutants
2nd order in 4 months

(Dallas, Texas – April 27, 2010) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a cease and desist administrative order to MMHF, LLC of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

A February 22, 2010, EPA inspection of the company’s open pit coal mine reclamation operations in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, found an unauthorized discharge of pollutants (waste water) into a tributary of Doe Creek. Samples of the waste stream were taken during the inspection and were found to be toxic and in violation of Oklahoma water quality standards. (It was determined by the EPA that the discharge point of entry was contaminated from discharges and measured between 900 and 4200 parts per million total soluble salts.)

Based on these findings, MMHF, LLC has been ordered to immediately eliminate the unauthorized discharge of toxic waste (oil & gas waste water), and within 30 days document and describe the corrective actions taken to eliminate the unauthorized discharge and provide a plan explaining how future waste streams will be managed.

The Cessation Order does not prohibit the placement of CCBs (coal combustion waste/fly ash) on site, and utilizing the water available on location to work the ash or continuing reclamation activities as directed by ODM.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/apr2010.html

Click above to listen to audio

1st Cease & Desist Order - EPA cites Making Money Having Fun, LLC

Conditions exist on site as follows:

On December 10, 2009 MMHF, LLC was issued Administrative Order (Docket #CWA-06-2010-1748) for violation of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.) involving unauthorized discharge of pollutants to waters of the United State (tributary of Buck Creek) by the Environmental Protection Agency. It was determined by the EPA that the discharge point of entry into Buck Creek was contaminated from discharges and measured between 900 and 4200 parts per million total soluble salts. EPA has directed MMHF to cease all discharges and remove all contaminants from Buck Creek.

This violation has caused MMHF to be out-of-complaince with ODM’s Coal Combustion By-Product Standards, specifically OAC 460: 30-5-8, requiring MMHF to be in compliance with effluent discharge standards of other enforcement agencies. Until this matter is resolved and subsequent ODM review of documentation from the EPA no more produced water from oil and/or gas wells from any geologic zone or common source of supply shall be brought to the site. This cessation is being ordered because the high levels of salts found in EPA’s sampling and analysis is consistent with the constituents of the produced water being brought to the site. In additional, further permit revisions will be suspended pending resolution of this matter.

The Cessation Order does not prohibit the placement of CCBs (coal combustion waste/fly ash) on site, and utilizing the water available on location to work the ash or continuing reclamation activities as directed by ODM.

ODM - Oklahoma Department of Mines

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