5/22/08 - ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ISSUED. DURING THE WEEK OF DEC 11-13, 2007, EPA INSPECTED RESPONDENT'S INJECTION WELLS. BASED UPON THE OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING THE INSPECTION, RESPONDENT WAS VERBALLY NOTIFED ON DEC 14, 2007, TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE INJECTION INTO THE WELLS. DURING THE INSPECTION, EACH OF THE SUBJECT WELLS CONTAINED A DEVICE WHICH WOULD CAUSE ITS ANNULUS TO BE BYPASSED DURING A MECHANICAL INTEGRITY TEST (MIT) RESULTING IN FALSIFIED MIT RESULTS. THE MECHANICAL ALTERATION TO EACH OF THE WELLS RENDERED THEM INCAPABLE OF PASSING A MIT. THEREFORE THE WELLS LACKED MECHANICAL INTEGRITY SUBSEQUENT TO THE MECHANICAL ALTERATION. RESPONDENT IS IN VIOLATION OF 40 CFR 144.28(f)(2) FOR FAILURE TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN MECHANICAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBJECT INJECTION WELLS UNTIL THE WELLS WERE PROPERLY PLUGGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN APPROVED PLUGGING AND ABANDONMENT PLAN.
ORDER REQUIRES: RESPONDENT IS HEREBY ORDERED TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE INJECTION INTO THE SUBJECT WELLS.