# MEADOW GOLD DAIRIES, INC.
> **Judicial** · FY1990 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `48701`
- **Case Number:** 08-1990-0167
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $265K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- MEADOW GOLD DAIRIES, INC. (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

THE PROPOSED DEFENDANT, MEADOW GOLD DAIRIES, INC. (MEADOW  GOLD) OWNS AND OPERATES A DAIRY PRODUCTS PROCESSING FACILITY IN KALISPELL, MONTANA.  MEADOW GOLD HAS DISCHARGED           POLLUTANTS FROM ITS FACILITY INTO WATERS OF THE UNITED       STATES WITHOUT A PERMIT.  SPECIFICALLY, MEADOW GOLD HAS      DISCHARGED APPROXIMATELY 60,000 GALLONS OF WASTEWATER        CONSISTING OF RINSE WATER AND WASH WATER FROM CLEAN-UP OF    PROCESSING OPERATIONS--INTO SPRING CREEK EVERY WEEK DURING   WINTER MONTHS.  THE DISCHARGE HAS APPARENTLY OCCURRED FOR    THE PAST TEN YEARS.  EPA HAS CLEAR DOCUMENTATION OF DIS-     CHARGE FOR THE WINTER MONTHS OF 1989-1990, AFTER MEADOW      GOLD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED PRODUCTION AT THE FACILITY.     MEADOW GOLD HAS NEVER APPLIED FOR A PERMIT FOR THE DISCHARGE UNDER THE NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM    (NPDES).                                                       THE WASTEWATER DISCHARGED BY MEADOW GOLD CONTAINS          SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATIONS OF BOD5 (BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND ON A FIVE-DAY BASIS) AND TSS (TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS).       THE RECEIVING WATER, SPRING CREEK, HAS BEEN MARKEDLY         DEGRADED BELOW THE DISCHARGE, EXHIBITING FOUL ODORS,         ELEVATED BOD5 AND TSS, AND LOW DISSOLVED OXYGEN.  WHITE      SLIME IS FOUND IN THE STREAM BELOW THE DISCHARGE, AND USUAL  AQUATIC SPECIES ARE ABSENT.                                    EPA SEEKS PENALTIES OF AT LEAST $304,0000, AS WELL AS      INJUNCTIVE RELIEF IN THE FORM OF A PLA

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