WASHINGTON (AP) - Four of the nation's largest homebuilders have agreed to
pay $4.3 million in fines for failing to control runoff at construction sites in
34 states and the District of Columbia, the Environmental Protection Agency and
Justice Department announced Wednesday.
The four companies -- Centex Corp. of Dallas, KB Home of Los Angeles, Pulte
Homes Inc. of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and M.D.C. Holdings Inc. of Denver --
also agreed to take steps above what is required by law to keep 1.2 billion
pounds of sediment out of the nation's waterways.
"Dirt can pollute. The bottom line is this: Whatever ends up on the ground
at a construction site can be swept into the nearest waterway," said EPA
Assistant Administrator Granta Nakayama.
Rain can carry contaminants such as dirt, stucco, paint and other materials
from construction sites into storm drains and nearby waterways, where the silt
can clog fish gills, smother fish eggs and block sunlight from plants, Nakayama
said.
The settlements are part of a nationwide crackdown by the EPA to find storm
water violations at construction sites.
The Clean Water Act requires builders that disturb land to obtain permits
and minimize runoff from rain. The companies named in the settlements allegedly
failed to obtain permits before clearing land for subdivisions and to prevent
silt and debris-laden runoff from leaving 2,202 construction sites from 2001 to
2005.
The states with the most sites covered by the settlements are California,
Florida, Texas, Arizona and Nevada.
Centex Corp. agreed to pay the largest fine, at $1.485 million. KB Home was
penalized $1.185 million. Pulte Homes Inc., along with a $877,000 fine, will
complete a $608,000 project to reduce the amount of sediment entering a northern
California stream. Federal prosecutors levied a $795,000 fine on M.D.C. Holdings
Inc., the parent company of Richmond American Homes.
Seven states that joined in the settlements -- Colorado, Maryland, Virginia,
Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee and Utah -- will receive a portion of the penalties.
The agreements filed Wednesday must be approved by a federal court and
undergo a 30-day public comment period before becoming final.
The four companies, in a joint statement, said that they were pleased with
the agreements. Together, they build 100,000 homes every year, federal officials
said.
"As leaders in the homebuilding industry, we share the government's goal of
protecting and preserving clean waterways," the statement said.
The National Association of Home Builders said the settlements with some of
its larger members were a positive step that will be used as a model for other
homebuilders.
"Clear rules -- and understanding how to follow them -- enable builders to
help protect the environment while keeping housing affordable," said NAHB
spokeswoman Donna Reichle.
In February, the agency fined Home Depot Inc. $1.3 million to resolve
alleged violations at 30 construction sites for its big box stores in 28 states.
But the largest settlement to date was with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which in May
2004 agreed to pay $3.1 million for violations at construction sites across the
country.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|