The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with Sunrise Power Company regarding claims of Safe Drinking Water Act violations at the company's Sunrise Power Plant in Kern County, California. The company has agreed to pay a penalty of $55,788 to resolve permit violations related to the Underground Injection Control Program.

"Facilities operating underground injection wells must comply with all permit conditions in order to protect underground sources of drinking water," stated EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "Failure to adhere to all permit requirements risks damage to vital and limited groundwater resources."

The EPA classifies injection wells into six types. Sunrise Power holds a permit for injecting non-hazardous waste, such as plant and equipment drains wastewater, into the Upper Tulare formation via a Class I Non-Hazardous Waste Injection Well permit. According to the EPA, Sunrise Power violated this permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act in June 2022 by failing to maintain the mechanical integrity of an injection well, which allowed wastewater to rise to the ground surface.

Injection wells are utilized for placing fluid underground into porous geologic formations for storage or disposal. The EPA’s Underground Injection Control Program collaborates with well owners and operators to ensure their practices do not affect underground sources of drinking water. Regular inspections are conducted by the EPA to verify compliance with injection well permits and applicable requirements.

Further information on EPA's proposed settlement with Sunrise Power Company can be accessed through their official channels.