RANGER FUEL HOLDS AN NPDES PERMIT AUTHORIZING DISHARGES FROM 11 OUTFALLS AT ITS COAL MINE AND COAL PREPARATION PLANT IN SABINE, WEST VIRGINIA. THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED BY REGION III, BECAME EFFECTIVE IN 1978, AND EXPIRES IN SEPTEMBER 1983. THE PERMIT REQUIRES RANGER FUEL TO MONITOR THE EF- FLUENT FROM EACH DISCHARGE POINT DURING EACH MONTH. THE PERMIT ALSO REQUIRES THAT RANGER FUEL PERIODICALLY REPORT THE RESULTS OF ITS MONITORING TO THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND TO REGION III. FURTHER, THE PERMIT REQUIRES RANGER FUEL TO NOTIFY THE STATE AND REGION III WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF LEARNING THAT IT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ANY DAILY MAXIMUM EF- FLUENT LIMITATION IMPOSED BY THE PERMIT. RANGER FUEL FAILED TO PROVIDE MONITORING REPORTS FOR EACH DISCHARGE POINT FROM SEPTEMBER 1979 TO DECEMBER 1980. RANGER FUEL ALSO FAILED TO NOTIFY THE STATE AND REGION OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH ITS EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FROM SEPTEMBER 1978 TO FEBRUARY 1981. REGION III SENT LETTERS IN FEBRUARY 1981 ADVISING RANGER FUEL OF ITS VIOLATIONS OF THE MONITOR- ING AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. RANGER FUEL FAILED TO CURE ITS VIOLATIONS AND, ON JUNE 18, 1981, RANGER FUEL AGREED TO REPORT PROPERLY AND IDENTIFIED OPERATION AND MAIN- TENANCE PRACTICES THAT IT WOULD USE TO COMPLY WITH THE PER- IN NOVEMBER 1981, AN INSPECTION BY THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (WVDNR) DISCLOSED THAT RANGER FUEL WAS SAMPLING IMPROPERLY, W