September 23, 2015
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Download PDF
The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and Renpetco II, LLC (“Renpetco”) entered into an August 17th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing an alleged release of crude oil from an oil well in Jasper County, Mississippi.
The AO states that on or about January 5, 2015 Renpetco personnel discovered a well control event that was releasing crude oil.
It further provides that:
… Respondent’s personnel and affiliated contractors stopped the release event and began cleanup operations the same day. Active cleanup occurred onsite from January 5 – January 9, when the spill response moved into an Operations and Maintenance phase. The spill impacted soil in the vicinity of the well head and in the flow pathway leading to a tributary of Piney Creek. The spill and subsequent discharge has also impacted waters of the state including Piney Creek, a tributary leading to Piney Creek and adjacent wetlands.
The AO provides that Renpetco was notified of an alleged violation which constituted pollution and/or placement of waste in a location where they are likely to cause pollution of waters of the State in violation of Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17-29(2)(a). Renpetco is stated to have continued to comply with expectations of cleanup endpoints as identified by Federal and State On-Scene coordinators for the response.
Renpetco does not admit violation of the previously cited statutory provisions.
Renpetco agrees to a voluntary civil penalty of $87,500.
Click here to download a copy of the AO.
The Between the Lines blog is made available by Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. and the law firm publisher. The blog site is for educational purposes only, as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law. This blog is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Use of this blog site does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Mitchell Williams or the blog site publisher. The Between the Lines blog site should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.