ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT & ENGINEERING

8/Environmental Risk Management Compliance Auditing

PROBLEM

A regional coal mining and processing company was under an agreed order with EPA to audit compliance at some of its facilities. They also wanted to know how the rest of their mines were performing on environmental issues across the company.

SMG'S APPROACH

SMG performed an environmental compliance audit of coal mining operations from 19 operating groups in 4 states that evaluated over 100 mine permits. The work entailed a site visit, site interviews, and review of facility inspection history and on site records. Portions of the work were completed as part of a formal consent order within a period of three months.

RESULTS

Compliance status was identified for each operating group for specific items audited as well as across the entire corporation and presented in a manner that enabled corporate and regulatory officials to readily determine areas to focus resources to improve compliance. The company has used the opportunity to periodically revisit each facility's compliance status.