# US STEEL-LEAD REFINERY
> **Judicial** · FY1984 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `25308`
- **Case Number:** 05-1984-0066
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $55K
- **Cost recovery:** $0
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- USS LEAD REFINERY INC (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE CASE                                        UNITED STATES SMELTING LEAD REFINERY, INC. (U.S.S.      LEAD) IS A SECONDARY LEAD REFINERY/SMELTER LOCATED IN EAST   CHICAGO, INDIANA.  THE FACILITY DISCHARGES A COMBINATION OF  NON-CONTACT PROCESS COOLING WATER BOILER BLOWDOWN AND        STORM WATER INTO THE GRAND CALUMET RIVER, TRIBUTARY TO LAKE  MICHIGAN.  THE FACILITY'S PERMIT IN0032425, ISSUED JUNE 15,  1975, EXPIRED MARCH 31, 1980.  THE FACILITY HAS CONTINUED TO DISCHARGE POLLUTANTS SINCE ITS PERMIT EXPIRATION IN VIOLA-   TION OF SECTION 301(A) OF THE CWA.  THE FACILITY DID NOT     SEEK PERMIT RENEWAL UNTIL SEPTEMBER 27, 1982.                     IN RESPONSE TO A REPORTED DUCK KILL, TWO PLANT INSPEC-  TIONS WERE CONDUCTED AT THE FACILITY.  ANALYTICAL RESULTS OF THE SAMPLES TAKEN DURING BOTH INSPECTIONS SHOW THAT THE      FACILITY EXCEEDED ITS PERMIT LEVELS FOR LEAD.  ADDITIONALLY, DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE PERMIT LEVELS FOR LEAD HAVE BEEN EXCEEDED FROM SEPTEMBER, 1982, THROUGH    JUNE, 1984, INCLUSIVE.                                            DUE TO THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT PRESENTED BY  THE UNPERMITTED DISCHARGES, IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO OBTAIN  A JUDICIALLY ENFORCEABLE CONSENT DECREE OR ORDER TO COMPEL   U.S.S. LEAD TO TAKE THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO COME INTO      COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATUTORY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.  IT IS    ALSO NECESSARY TO OBTAIN CIVIL PENALTIES, IN LIGHT OF THE    LENGTHY HISTORY OF NONCOMPLIANCE, AN

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*