Veris Gold USA, Inc CAFO (TRI)

On September 4, 2014, EPA Region 9 issued a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) to resolve a civil administrative complaint that the region filed on September 30, 2013 pursuant to Section 325(c) of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (“EPCRA”), 42 U.S.C. § 11045(c), against Veris Gold USA, Inc., formerly known as Queenstake Resources USA, Inc. (“VG”). In its complaint, EPA alleged that at the VG facility located near Elko, Nevada (VG’s Jerritt Canyon gold mine), VG violated EPCRA Section 313 by failing to submit timely, complete and/or correct Toxic Chemical Release Inventory Forms (“Form R reports”) for arsenic compounds, cobalt compounds, copper compounds, cyanide compounds, lead compounds, mercury compounds, nickel compounds, and zinc compounds for calendar years 2007 and 2008; nitric acid for calendar year 2008; and propylene for calendar year 2007. In June 2014 VG and its related companies filed for bankruptcy protection. VG certified in the CAFO that it has now filed the necessary Form R reports, and the CAFO requires VG to submit the $182,000 penalty as an allowed unsecured claim in its bankruptcy proceeding.