# SOUTHERN OHIO COAL COMPANY (SOCCO)
> **Judicial** · FY1994 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `29002`
- **Case Number:** 05-1994-0404
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $300K
- **Cost recovery:** $230K
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- SOUTHERN OHIO COAL COMPANY (SOCCO) (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

SOCCO OWNS AND OPERATES AN UNDERGROUND COAL MINE COMPLEX IN  SOUTHEASTERN OHIO, CONSISTING IN PART OF AN ACTIVE MINE,     MEIGS MINE NO. 31 ( MEIGS MINE ), AND AN INACTIVE, ADJACENT  MINE KNOWN AS RACCOON MINE NO. 3 ( RACCOON MINE ).  THE      MEIGS AND RACCOON MINES NATURALLY ACCUMULATE ACIDIC WATER    THAT CONTAINS IN SOLUTION A NUMBER OF METALS AND OTHER       CHEMICALS.  PRIOR TO JULY 11, 1993, SOCCO PUMPED ACID MINE   DRAINAGE GENERATED BY MEIGS MINE INTO RACCOON MINE FOR       STORAGE.  A BULKHEAD CONSTRUCTED BY SOCCO SEPERATED THE TWO  MINES.  ON JULY 11, 1993, DUE TO A STRUCTURAL FAILURE AT OUR NEAR A BULKHEAD SEPARATING THE TWO MINES, APPROXIMATELY 1    BILLION GALLONS OF THE STORED AMD IN RACCOON MINE FLOODED    INTO MEIGS MINE.                                              ON AUGUST 30, 1993, THE SIXTH CIRCUIT GRANTED IN PART EPA'S MOTION FOR A STAY OF THE DISTRICT COURT'S INJUNCTION.  ON    SEPTEMBER 3, 1993, EPA ISSUED AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER        ESSENTIALLY REQUIRING SOCCO TO CEASE DISCHARGES OF UNTREATED OR PARTIALLY TREATED AMD.  IN RESPONSE TO A MOTION BY SOCCO, ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1993, THE DISTRICT COURT ISSUED AN ORDER     STAYING EPA'S ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER.  ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1994,  U.S. EPA REFERRED THIS CASE TO DOJ REQUESTING THAT DOJ FILE  A CIVIL ACTION AGAINST SOCCO FOR VIOLATIONS SECTION 301 OF   THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND DESCRIBES REGION 5'S SETTLEMENT      POSTURE.  U.S. EPA AND DOJ DRAFTED A COMPLAINT THAT IS TO BE FILED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE FILING

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