Missouri Attorney General Koster Takes Action Against St. Charles County Landfill Owner For Water Pollution

Attorney General Chris Koster has filed a lawsuit in St. Charles County against the owner of an O'Fallon landfill for polluting a tributary of Perque Creek.

Koster said the now-closed landfill, R&E Sanitary Landfill, is owned by St. Charles County Piping, Inc. He said the lawsuit charges St. Charles County Piping with violations of Missouri's Clean Water Law.

Koster said the landfill is leaking iron leachate, a water contaminant, into a tributary of Perque Creek. He said Missouri Department of Natural Resources inspections also showed that the defendant failed to submit required quarterly discharge monitoring reports and failed to renew the operating permit. Koster said the defendant also has breached an earlier agreement, whereby he agreed to treat the wastewater and pay a $3,000 penalty.

"We all must serve as stewards of our state's environmental integrity," Koster said. "This office will aggressively pursue those who show disregard for our environmental laws."

Koster is asking the court to issue preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring the defendant to comply with the Clean Water Law; to assess a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 per day for each violation of the Clean Water Law; to pay the $3,000 agreed to in the prior settlement agreement; and to require the defendant to pay all costs associated with the case.

SOURCE: Attorney General