RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Environmental Protection Agency has settled with a construction company over allegations they had been dumping industrial waste into the Truckee River.
CEMEX Construction Materials Pacific LLC will pay $310,000 over violations of the Clean Water Act. The EPA says the violations occurred on their sand and gravel mine in Wadsworth.
Money collected from the penalties will be used to restore floodplain and habitat within Truckee River Watershed.
“We do not allow the dumping of industrial waste on Tribal nations. EPA is taking this action to ensure that wastewater discharges do not degrade our precious water resources,”said EPA Pacific Southwest Region Administrator Josh F.W. Cook.“Through the agreement announced today, CEMEX will take the necessary steps to protect the Truckee River and the people of Nevada.”
The EPA says CEMEX violated federal law by discharging mine pit wastewater and industrial stormwater into the Truckee River without a permit.
In November 2020, the EPA issued an administrative order requiring CEMEX to cease these discharges, apply for the necessary permits, and establish measures to prevent this from happening again.
CEMEX will now work with the Truckee River Watershed Council to restore the floodplain and habitat along the lower reach of Cold Creek between the mouth of Coldstream Canyon, an area located southeast of Truckee.
Once completed, around 3.2 acres of new floodplains will have been created.
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