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EPA Orders Johnson and Ernst Operating Company to Stop Discharging

Release Date: 07/06/2009
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Anthony Suttice at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

(Dallas, Texas – July 6, 2009) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a cease and desist administrative order to the Johnson & Ernst Operating Company of Wichita Falls, Texas, for violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

A June 9, 2009, EPA inspection of the company’s oil field production facility in Wilbarger County, Texas, found an unauthorized discharge of oil field brine generated by production activities into Camp Creek. The inspection also revealed that water located at the discharge point of entry into the creek was contaminated from brine discharges and salts.

Based on these findings, the Johnson & Ernst Operating Company has been ordered to cease all discharges of pollutants from the facility, remove all brine from its on-site pit, and remove all brine from the flow path located between the facility and the discharge point of entry into Camp Creek. The company has also been ordered to remove all brine from Camp Creek itself, and within 30 days provide written certification to EPA that these activities have been completed.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/jul2009.html