Dominion Settles Clean Water Act Violations at Equestrian Estates

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Dominion Boulevard Partners LLC has settled alleged violations of Clean Water Act regulations designed to protect waterways from polluted stormwater.

Dominion will pay a $51,000 penalty for allegedly allowing storm water runoff from Equestrian Estates North in Chesapeake Va., to run off into a tributary of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.

After an inspection by EPA on June 14, 2010, and another inspection by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation on December 14, 2010, EPA cited Dominion for failing to:

Stabilize a large stockpile of sand on the site as required in the permit;

• Properly install and/or maintain sediment controls, such as silt fencing and rock dams;
• Conduct inspections after rain events; and
• Maintain an updated stormwater pollution prevention plan as required by law.
• Uncontrolled storm water runoff from construction sites often contains chemicals, nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, trash and other pollutants. The Clean Water Act requires owners of construction operations to obtain a permit before discharging stormwater runoff into waterways. These permits include elements such as stormwater pollution prevention plans, stormwater control measures, and inspections to verify the conditions of those measures.

For more information about EPA’s storm water program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater.