After seven years of case development and negotiation by EPA and DOJ, a Consent Decree and Civil Complaint was lodged in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of West Virginia on August 10, resolving Clean Water Act (CWA) violations by the City of Elkins, WV. The Consent Decree requires Elkins to implement its Long Term Control Plan over the next 12 years that addresses the discharge of more than 86 million gallons a year of untreated sewage from its combined collection system into the Tygart Valley River in violation of its NPDES permit and the CWA. In addition, the city will implement a yard waste pick-up and recycling program as a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) and pay a civil penalty of $64,800, which will be split equally between the U.S. and the State of West Virginia. The penalty amount is based on the city?s ability to pay the cost of the SEP.