EPA Fines Amerikohl Mining $140,000; 22 Noncompliant Mines in Western PA

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA – In a consent agreement announced last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Amerikohl Mining, Inc., has settled Clean Water Act violations at 22 of its Pennsylvania mining operations, including four active and 18 inactive mines in western Pennsylvania.

As part of the settlement agreement, Amerikohl will pay a $140,000 penalty and implement a new standard operating procedure to ensure Clean Water Act compliance at existing and future mining operations.

EPA cited Amerikohl for 157 violations at the 22 mining operations. Violations included exceedances of Clean Water Act permit limits for discharges of pH, aluminum, iron, manganese and total suspended solids.

Of the 22 mines covered by the settlement agreement, five are in Indiana County, four are in Clarion County. The rest of the mines are in Washington, Butler, Armstrong, Beaver, Somerset, Lawrence, Venango, Fayette, Clearfield, and Westmoreland Counties.

The mines covered by the settlement are:

— Alexander Mine, Beaver County, which discharges to a tributary of Beaver River;

— Best Mine, Armstrong County, which discharges to a tributary of Mahoning Creek;

— Ernest #3 Mine, Indiana County, which discharges to McKee Run;

— Lopinski Mine, Butler County, which discharges to a tributary of South Branch Bear Creek;

— Bittner Surface Mine, Somerset County, which discharges to a tributary of the Casselman River;

— Boots Mine, Lawrence County which discharges to a tributary of Slippery Rock Creek;

— Delp Mine, Clarion County, which discharges to Leatherwood Creek;

— Ernest #5 Mine, Indiana County, which discharges to a tributary of Crooked Creek;

— Ferraro Mine, Butler County, which discharges to a tributary of Story Run;

— Germany Mine, Indiana County, which discharges to a tributary of the East Branch of Richards Run;

— North American Mine, Indiana County, which discharges to Ferrier Run;

— Penn Lakes Mine, Venango County, which discharges to a tributary of the Allegheny River;

— Ridec Surface Mine, Fayette County, which discharges to Ferguson Run;

— Robertson Mine, Clearfield County, which discharges to a tributary of Sandy Lick Creek;

— Semmler, Armstrong County, which discharges to a tributary of Redbank Creek;

— Szynal, Indiana County, which discharges to Tearing Run;

— Taylor, Clarion County, which discharges to a tributary of Town Run;

— Thomas, Clarion County, which discharges to Little Piney Creek,

— Watson Surface Mine, Washington County, which discharges to Sawmill Creek;

— Zacherl, Clarion County, which discharges to a tributary of Piney Creek;

— Zelmore Strip Mine, Westmoreland County, which discharges to Laurel Run; and,

— Zielonka Surface Mine, Washington County, which discharges to a tributary of Pigeon Creek.