Kotzebue mine to pay $120,000 penalty to EPA

KOTZEBUE - The federal government has assessed a $120,000 penalty against Teck Alaska Inc., the owner and operator of Kotzebue's Red Dog lead and zinc mine.

The Environmental Protection Agency says Teck Alaska has agreed to pay the penalty to resolve permit violations and unpermitted discharges at the mine and port sites.

The EPA says the violations included the failure to collect representative samples of the effluent discharged, exceeding the permit's effluent limits and discharges of unpermitted wastewater to the tundra.

The penalty payment is due by Oct. 4.