Kennecott Utah Copper LLC

The operational and environmental cleanup activities at Kennecott Utah Copper LLC’s (Kennecott) Bingham Canyon Mine, Copperton Concentrator, Smelter, Refinery, Tailings Facility and the various ancillary facilities are regulated under a number of federal and State programs with authority to oversee the work pursued by Kennecott and other third parties.

The federal and State agencies draw their authority from a number of federal statutes, including the Comprehensive, Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972, and the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970, as well as State of Utah environmental protection acts.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 has the authority under CERCLA (i.e., Superfund) to oversee the cleanup of historical mining contaminated areas at the Kennecott properties. The Utah Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR) works in partnership with EPA to oversee Kennecott’s environmental cleanup activities.

Starting in the late 1980s, the State of Utah Natural Resource Damage Trustee (NRD Trustee) has overseen the investigation of mining influenced groundwater and the implementation of cleanup actions performed by Kennecott and the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) to address two groundwater plumes located in Southwest Salt Lake County. The plumes were caused by historic mining practices in the Kennecott South Zone. The NRD Trustee’s authority is derived from Section 107(f) of CERCLA.

As authorized by the State Legislature under the Utah Water Quality Act (Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Utah Annotated Code), the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) enacted rules for the protection of groundwater. DWQ regulates potential discharges to aquifer systems within the State of Utah, including a number of locations at Kennecott under the Utah Ground Water Protection Program (GWPP).

DWQ implements the Utah Pollution Discharge Elimination System program (UPDES), which oversees the discharge of water from a number of outfall locations at Kennecott. DWQ is authorized under the CWA to implement the UPDES program.

As authorized by the State Legislature, under the Utah Air Conservation Act (Title 19, Chapter 2 of the Utah Annotated Code), the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) regulates the emissions from Kennecott’s Bingham Canyon Mine, Copperton Concentrator, Power Plant, Laboratory, Tailings Impoundment, Smelter, and Refinery facilities.

The Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (DWMRC) provides oversight of the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste regulated under the Utah Hazardous Waste Management Act or RCRA, as it pertains to the Kennecott facility. This includes oversight of rules related to hazardous substance or materials that when released or spilled become a hazardous waste.

Contacts

If you have questions, comments, or require more information, contact the following DEQ representatives:

Water Quality Public Notices

2025

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

2024

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

Kennecott Barneys Canyon Mining Company

2022

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC

2021 Public Notices: Water Quality

Rio Tinto Kennecott

2020 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC – Settlement Agreement – Docket # UGW19-06

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC – Settlement Agreement – Docket # UGW19-05

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC – Magna, UT

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC – Bingham Canyon Mine

2019 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Utah Copper LLC, Smelter Facility

2018 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Barneys Canyon Mining Company

  • Public Notice
  • Settlement of Agreement and Order of Consent
  • Close of Comments: March 12, 2018
  • Public Hearing: March 28, 2018
  • Contact (Email): Brian Hamos ([email protected])
  • Type: Enforcement Actions

2017 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC)

  • Public Notice
  • Statement of Basis
  • Groundwater Discharge Permit
  • Appendix A
  • Close of Comments: December 18, 2017
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Brian Hamos ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper East Abutment Extension

  • Public Notice
  • Close of Comments: May 26, 2017
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): William Damery ([email protected])
  • Type: 401 Water Quality Certification

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC, Permit UT0000051

  • Public Notice
  • Newspaper Publication
  • Close of Comments: April 17, 2017
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Nate Nichols ([email protected])
  • Type: General Water Quality

2016 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC, Permit UT0000051

  • Public Notice
  • Transmittal Letter
  • Newspaper Publication
  • Fact Sheet/Statement of Basis
    1. Attachment 1
  • Draft Permit
  • Close of Comments: October 19, 2016
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Nate Nichols ([email protected])
  • Type: UPDES Discharge Permits

Kennecott Utah Copper, LLC, Permit UGW350011

  • Public Notice
  • Draft Permit
  • Statement of Basis
  • Close of Comments: May 13, 2016
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Ed Hickey ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permit

2015 Public Notices: Water Quality

Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper, Permit UGW350006

  • Public Notice
  • Statement of Basis
  • Draft Permit
  • Appendix A
  • Appendix B
  • Appendix C
  • Appendix D
  • Close of Comments: December 10, 2015
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Brian Hamos ([email protected])
  • Type: Ground Water Discharge Permit

Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper, Docket No. UGW13-02, Permit UGW350017

  • Public Notice
  • Notice of Violation and Compliance Order
  • Stipulation and Consent Order
  • Close of Comments: December 10, 2015
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Brian Hamos ([email protected])
  • Type: Enforcement Actions

Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper, UGW350015

  • Public Notice
  • Draft Permit
  • Statement of Basis
  • Close of Comments: July 27, 2015
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Ed Hickey ([email protected])
  • Type: Ground Water Discharge Permit

Kennecott Utah Copper Ground Water Discharge Permit, UGW350010

  • Public Notice Final
  • Statement of Basis
  • Permit
  • SWRR GW Application
  • Draft Construction Permit
  • Appendix A
  • Appendix B
  • Appendix C
  • Appendix D
  • Appendix E
  • Appendix F
  • Appendix G
  • Appendix H
  • Appendix I
  • Appendix J
  • Appendix K
  • Close of Comments: April 1, 2015
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Brian Hamos ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

2013 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Smelter UGW350008

  • Public Notice
  • Statement of Basis
  • Draft Permit
  • Smelter Tables and Appendices
  • Close of Comments: November 4, 2013
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Ed Hickey ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

Kennecott Utah Copper Tailings Impoundment Draft Permit Modification

  • Public Notice
  • Public Information
  • Statement of Basis
  • Draft Permit
    • Table 1
    • Appendix A
    • Appendix B
    • Appendix B Addendum
    • Map
    • Appendix C
  • Final Permit Application
  • Application Termination
  • Close of Comments: August 12, 2013
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Ed Hickey ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Discharge Permit

Kennecott Barneys Canyon Mining Company Draft Permit Renewal

  • Public Notice
  • Close of Comments: June 3, 2013
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Dan Hall ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

Kennecott GW Permit Modification and East Waste Rock Extension

  • Public Notice
  • Close of Comments: April 26, 2013
  • Public Hearing: Informational: March 21, 2013; Information with Public Hearing: April 8, 2013
  • Contact (Email): Dan Hall ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits
  • Public Notice
  • Draft SCO
  • Attachment A
  • Close of Comments: January 22, 2013
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Dan Hall ([email protected])
  • Type: Enforcement Actions

2011 Public Notices: Water Quality

Kennecott Utah Copper—Bingham Canyon Mine—Draft Permit Modification

  • Public Participation Summary
  • Public Notice of Extension
  • Public Notice
  • Statement of Basis
  • Appendix F (Best Management Practices Plan)
  • Draft Modified Permit
  • Close of Comments: July 11, 2011
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Dan Hall ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

Kennecott Utah Copper—North Concentrator—Draft Permit Modification

  • Public Participation Summary
  • Public Notice of Extension
  • Public Notice
  • Statement of Basis
  • Appendix B
  • Draft Modified Permit
  • Close of Comments: July 11, 2011
  • Public Hearing: None
  • Contact (Email): Ed Hickey ([email protected])
  • Type: Groundwater Permits

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