DENVER CO (6/10/2020) – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed settlement with Fisher Sand & Gravel Company. This proposed settlement resolves alleged Clean Water Act violations associated with a state‑issued industrial stormwater discharge permit, and EPA oil spill prevention regulations, at the company’s sand and gravel facility in Glendive, Montana.

“Companies have a responsibility to follow laws that protect public health and the environment from preventable oil spills and polluted stormwater,” said Suzanne Bohan, director of EPA Region 8’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. “We appreciate the compliance work by Fisher Sand & Gravel to protect the Upper Seven Mile Creek watershed near Glendive.”

This proposed settlement resulted from inspections conducted by EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and requires Fisher Sand & Gravel to pay a civil penalty of $95,000. The company previously completed work to comply with the Clean Water Act’s stormwater requirements under a consent order signed with EPA in 2018.

State and federal stormwater permits prescribe protective measures to minimize stormwater discharges into streams, lakes, and rivers. Federal oil spill prevention, control, and countermeasure rules specify requirements for businesses that store oil and prevent oil discharges that can affect nearby water resources. For more on the Clean Water Act’s stormwater control and oil pollution prevention programs, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/clean-water-act-cwa-compliance-monitoring.

The proposed settlement has been filed with EPA Region 8’s Regional Hearing Clerk and will be available for the public to review and comment until June 13, 2020. To access and comment on the Consent Agreement , please visit: https://www.epa.gov/mt/opportunity-comment-proposed-consent-agreement-fisher-sand-gravel-co-alleged-violations-clean

Media Contact: Laura Jenkins (Jenkins.Laura@epa.gov) 303-312-6256