Revised On: Sep. 10th, 2025 - 02:53 pm
This site/facility of interest online resource provides interested parties easy access to permits and documents for Senator Mine, owned by Gold Paradise Peak, Inc. (GPPI) and Sino Vantage Group, Inc. (SVG).
Water Quality Permitting
Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Program
On Dec. 16, 2021 ADEQ issued this facility an AZPDES Individual Permit (Permit No.: AZ0026514). ADEQ issues AZPDES permits to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and to protect public health and the environment in terms of surface water quality. The AZPDES permit imposes regulations on pollutant discharges and mandates monitoring to ensure adherence to the limits set under the federal Clean Water Act. The discharge limits are established to safeguard the well-being of individuals engaged in water recreation and to protect animals, plants, and other organisms.
This facility also has a Notice of Intent (Authorization No.: AZMS81366) under the AZPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity - Mineral Industry to Protected Surface Waters, also known as the Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP), for stormwater runoff from the Senator Mine.
Community Engagement
Documents
Site Background
ADEQ, GPPI, and SVG entered into a Consent Order (APP-09-18) on Nov. 13, 2018. The Order required GPPI and SVG to address the unauthorized discharges from the Senator Mine adit. The terms of the Consent Order were not met. To address the ongoing violations, the Arizona Office of the Attorney General filed a civil action against GPPI and SVG. GPPI and SVG entered into a Consent Judgment (CV2019-005385) with ADEQ on Jan. 26, 2021. The Consent Judgment requires, in part, that GPPI and SVG address the impacts to the Hassayampa River from Senator Mine adit and tailings piles.
GPPI has failed to construct the wetlands necessary to treat the Senator Mine adit discharge into the Hassayampa River and has failed to address the impact from the tailings pile on the river. These failures are the subject of ongoing enforcement in Arizona Superior Court.
In August 2023, ADEQ filed a motion seeking $600,000 in civil penalties pursuant to the consent judgment.
In December 2023, GPPI plugged the Senator Mine adit with concrete. In February 2024, ADEQ filed a motion for an order to show cause requiring GPPI and SVG to explain why they should not be held in contempt of court for violating the judgment. On March 19, 2024, the court ordered GPPI to cease earth moving activities at Senator Mine.
The legal process to address site impacts on water quality is ongoing. Meanwhile, ADEQ has contracted with an environmental remediation company to assess the safety and environmental impacts of the Senator Mine adit and tailings pile.
Enforcement
