Current:Home > FinanceMajor solar farm builder settles case alleging it violated clean water rules-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Major solar farm builder settles case alleging it violated clean water rules
View Date:2024-12-24 07:47:19
WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. construction company that built solar farms across the country will pay $2.3 million in penalties to settle claims that it violated federal and state water protections in Alabama, Idaho and Illinois, the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday.
Swinerton agreed to pay the penalty and undertake mitigation measures for its alleged Clean Water Action violations during the construction of solar farms in the three states that began in 2016.
A complaint alleged that Swinerton did not have its building sites inspected by qualified personnel and failed to accurately address or report stormwater issues at its solar farms near American Falls, Idaho, near Lafayette, Alabama and in Perry and White Counties, Illinois. At the Alabama and Idaho sites, the complaint said Swinerton’s actions led to large amounts of stormwater discharges in nearby waterways.
Builders clear large sections of land when constructing solar farms, which can lead to sediment runoff into waterways if stormwater controls aren’t put in place. The controls are common to other types of construction. More sediment in waterways can hurt aquatic life, damage ecosystems and harm drinking water treatment systems, according to the EPA.
“Solar farms are vital to slowing the effects of climate change, but companies building solar farms must comply with environmental protection requirements just as companies must do for any other construction project,” said David Uhlmann, EPA’s assistant administrator for enforcement.
Swinerton could not be immediately reached for comment. In 2021, a private equity firm acquired Swinerton’s renewable energy division and its subsidiary SOLV Inc.
The company will pay $1.6 million to the federal government, while about $540,000 will go to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and roughly $145,000 to the state of Illinois.
EPA and the Justice Department said Swinerton will also fund a restoration project in Idaho on the Portneuf River that repairs some of the damage caused by the excess sediment discharges. In Alabama, the company will buy 14,000 “stream credits” that mitigate the loss of wetlands in the watershed surrounding the solar farm site. The effort will help preserve the watershed and its aquatic habitats, the federal government said.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
veryGood! (993)
Related
- Arbitrator upholds 5-year bans of Bad Bunny baseball agency leaders, cuts agent penalty to 3 years
- YouTuber Annabelle Ham Dead at 22
- An Ohio College Town Wants to Lead on Fighting Climate Change. It Also Has a 1940s-Era, Diesel-Burning Power Plant
- A New Hurricane Season Begins With Forecasts For Less Activity but More Uncertainty
- Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
- Restoring Seabird Populations Can Help Repair the Climate
- Regardless of What Mr. Bean Says, EVs Are Much Better for the Environment than Gasoline Vehicles
- Love of the Land and Community Inspired the Montana Youths Whose Climate Lawsuit Against the State Goes to Court This Week
- 2 dead in explosion at Kentucky factory that also damaged surrounding neighborhood
- New Research Rooted in Behavioral Science Shows How to Dramatically Increase Reach of Low-Income Solar Programs
Ranking
- Richard Allen found guilty in the murders of two teens in Delphi, Indiana. What now?
- Kim Kardashian Reacts After TikToker Claims SKIMS Shapewear Saved Her Life
- North Texas Suburb Approves New Fracking Zone Near Homes and Schools
- Study: Microgrids Could Reduce California Power Shutoffs—to a Point
- Tennis Channel suspends reporter after comments on Barbora Krejcikova's appearance
- Students and Faculty at Ohio State Respond to a Bill That Would Restrict College Discussions of Climate Policies
- Vecinos de La Villita temen que empeore la contaminación ambiental por los planes de ampliación de la autopista I-55
- Arizona Announces Phoenix Area Can’t Grow Further on Groundwater
Recommendation
-
Video shows masked man’s apparent attempt to kidnap child in NYC; suspect arrested
-
Yellowstone’s Cole Hauser & Wife Cynthia Daniel Share Glimpse Inside Family Life With Their 3 Kids
-
Who Said Recycling Was Green? It Makes Microplastics By the Ton
-
The Solar Industry Gained Jobs Last Year. But Are Those Good Jobs, and Could They Be Better?
-
Waymo’s robotaxis now open to anyone who wants a driverless ride in Los Angeles
-
Wildfire Haze Adds To New York’s Climate Change Planning Needs
-
Plans for I-55 Expansion in Chicago Raise Concerns Over Air Quality and Community Health
-
When an Actor Meets an Angel: The Love Story of Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin