Cominco Alaska, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cominco (CLT-T), will pay a US$1.7-Million fine to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for various Clean Water Act infractions that occurred during the early 1990s at the company’s Red Dog zinc mine in northern Alaska.
As part of the settlement, the company will also perform three supplemental environmental projects at the site: a groundwater monitoring study; the construction of a fish-protection barrier in Middle Red Dog Creek; and an aquatic-life study.
Cominco says most of the alleged violations were administrative procedural issues, with the remaining violations relating to permit exceedances and four spills. The company reports that third-party analyses confirmed that no long-Term environmental impacts resulted from these events.
Company literature describes the Red Dog Creek as being a “naturally toxic waterbody” containing sufficiently high concentrations of zinc, iron and cadmium to prevent use of the Middle Fork by fish and aquatic invertebrates.
In a release, John Key, general manager of the Red Dog operations, says, “Throughout the entire process, it has been Cominco Alaska’s intent to comply with federal environmental laws, take corrective action, co-operate with enforcement officials and come to a fair resolution of the situation.” The settlement is being submitted to the U.S. District Court as a consent decree before final approval is obtained.
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