The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“Commission”) and Oxford Sand Company, Inc. (“Oxford”) entered into a February 12th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing an alleged violation of the Mississippi Surface Mining and Reclamation Rules and Regulations. See Order No. 6621 16.
The AO alleges that:
On January 15, 2015, staff of MDEQ, Office of Geology, discovered that Oxford Sand Company, Inc. had mined or affected approximately twenty-two (22) acres outside of Surface Mining Permit No. P10-021 in Section 2, Township 8 South, Range 2 West, Lafayette County (the “Site”), before an amended surface mining permit was submitted and/or approved.
Oxford agrees to both pay a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000.00 and submit to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality a complete application to amend the surface mining permit for the Site within 45 days of the effective date of the AO.
The company also agrees to install and implement storm water controls for the Site including, but not limited to, sedimentation ponds, check dams, temporary and permanent seeding, silt fencing, slope drains and other such measures necessary to minimize the sediment laden storm water from leaving the Site or entering waters of the State. The company has 45 days from the effective date of the AO to install such controls.
Oxford also agrees to cease all mining operations at the Site until such time as the surface mining permit and any necessary storm water discharge coverages are issued for the Site.
Click here to download a copy of the AO.
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