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EPA Settles Complaint Against Camterra Resources, Inc. for Violations of the Clean Water Act

Release Date: 09/26/2011
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Joe Hubbard at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(DALLAS – September 26, 2011) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it had settled a complaint against Camterra Resources, Inc., of Marshall, Texas, for violations of the Clean Water Act.

Camterra Resources, a natural gas exploration and production company, began filling in 33 acres of wetlands in Caddo and DeSoto parishes, Louisiana, in the fall months of 2008 without receiving authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The Clean Water Act prohibits any discharge of fill material to navigable waters of the U.S. except with the authorization of, and in compliance with, a permit issued by the COE.

Camterra Resources learned about the need for a COE permit and then reported the violations to the COE District Office in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The COE referred the violations to the EPA in March 2011 and the EPA issued cease and desist administrative orders to Camterra Resources in April and May 2011. The orders required Camterra Resources to provide surveys of the sites with the location of affected wetlands.

The EPA notified the public of the filing of the complaint and afforded the public 30 days to comment on the proposed $67,200 fine. No comments were received and full payment of the $67,200 penalty has been received by the EPA.

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/sep2011.html