DOJ suit against ATP Oil and Gas alleges Clean Water Act violations

The U.S. Justice Department is suing ATP Oil and Gas, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a lawsuit in New Orleans against Houston-based ATP Oil and Gas Corp. alleging violations of the Clean Water Act, including the discharge of oil and an unpermitted chemical dispersant into the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the complaint, the discharge and other violations were discovered in March. The ATP Innovator, a floating production platform about 125 miles south of New Orleans, was built in 2006. Since 2007, ATP has been allowed to discharge wastewater from the ATP Innovator into the Gulf through a permit with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, in March, Bureau of Safety Environmental Enforcement inspectors found that a dispersant was being injected into the pipe used for overboard discharge of the facility?s wastewater, according to the Justice Department.

?On information and belief the Clearton ZB-103 dispersant was injected into the outfall pipe to mask oil sheen on the ocean surface resulting from ATP?s discharge of wastewater containing quantities of oil in excess of its (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit limit,? the filing said.

ATP executives were not immediately available for comment.

The company (Nasdaq: ATPG) filed for bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of Texas in July, which is still pending.

Deon Daugherty covers energy and law for the Houston Business Journal.

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