# BAY-HOUSTON TOWING COMPANY, INC. (MINDEN SITE).
> **Judicial** · FY1997 · — · —
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `30306`
- **Case Number:** 05-1997-0371
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** —
- **Penalty assessed:** —
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- BAY HOUSTON TOWING CO.,(MINDEN SITE) (settlement)
## Summary

MICHIGAN PEAT OPERATES A PEAT  MINING  BUSINESS ON APPROX.   1000 ACRES OF A TOTAL 2800 ACRES IT OWNS (SPLIT INTO TWO     PARCELS, MINDEN NORTH AND MINDEN SOUTH). MICHIGAN PEAT HAS   BEEN ENGAGING IN THIS PEAT MINING FOR DECADES, BUT NEVER     APPLIED FOR A PERMIT FOR THEIR DISCHARGES, PURSUANT TO SEC.  301 AND SECTIONS 402 AND 404 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT, UNTIL   THE EARLY 1990'S WHEN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN DISCOVERED ITS   ACTIVITIES. IN THE PROCESS OF PEAT  MINING , MICHIGAN PEAT   DRAINS THE PEAT BOG THROUGH A NETWORK OF DITCHES WHICH       DISCHARGE TO THE BLACK RIVER DRAIN. ALSO AS PART OF THIS     OPERATION, A VARIETY OF SOILS, PEATS, AND WOODY VEGETATION   IS DISCHARGED TO THE WETLANDS ON THE PROPERTY                 AND REMAINS IN THE WETLANDS FOR VARYING AMOUNTS OF          TIME. FURTHER, IT IS NECESSARY TO BUILD ROADS THROUGH THE    BOG (CONSTRUCTED OF SAND, CLAY, AND BRUSH) TO HARVEST AND    HAUL AWAY THE PEAT. FINALLY, AS PART OF THE DITCH DREDGING   (AND  DEEPENING) ACTIVITIES, MICHIGAN PEAT SIDECAST          SOILS AND PEATS TO THE WETLANDS.                             CENT STATE LAND. THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WAS AUTHORIZED FOR    THE SECTION 404 PROGRAM DURING 1984, AND HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED FOR THE NPDES PROGRAM SINCE 1973. HOWEVER, SINCE THE STATE   DISCOVERED THE OPERATION AND THE EXTENSIVE VIOLATIONS--      PARTICULARLY SECTION 404 VIOLATIONS--THE STATE NEGOTIATED    WITH MICHIGAN PEAT AND ALLOWED MICHIGAN PEAT TO GO THROUGH A LENGTHY PERMITTING PROCESS. THIS CUL

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