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EPA orders two Texas companies to stop polluting water
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued cease and desist administrative orders to the Johnson & Ernst Operating Company of Wichita Falls and Hunter Energy, Inc. of Mineral Wells for violations of the Clean Water Act.
In June 2009, an EPA inspection of both companies’ oil field production facilities in Wilbarger and Palo Pinto Counties found unauthorized discharges of oil field brine generated by production activities into Camp Creek from Johnson & Ernst and into Lake Creek from Hunter Energy. The inspections also revealed that water located at the discharge point of entry into the creek was contaminated with brine discharges and salts.
Based on these findings, the companies have been ordered to stop all discharges of pollutants from their facilities, remove all brine and/or contaminated soil, and remove all brine from the flow path located between the facility and the discharge point of entry into the creek. The companies have also been ordered to remove all brine from Camp Creek itself and/or the tributary and within 30 days provide written certification to EPA that these activities have been completed.