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EPA charges five West Valley City landowners with wetlands violations

Release Date: 8/18/2000
Contact Information:
303 312-6231 ,

Release Date: 8/18/2000
Contact Information:
303 312-6391,

Release Date: 8/18/2000
Contact Information:
303 312-6899,

Release Date: 8/18/2000
Contact Information:
303 312-6214,

Release Date: 8/18/2000
Contact Information:
303 312 6647

Denver -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday ordered five West Valley City landowners to stop destroying wetlands to build an industrial park, and to restore those already destroyed. The property owners allegedly bulldozed dirt and rubble into wetlands that feed streams flowing through the Kennecott Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve, into the Great Salt Lake.

The Clean Water Act regulates construction in America's waterways through a permit system run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and enforced by EPA. The law protects wetlands because they enhance water quality, replace groundwater, ease flooding, provide habitat, recreation and esthetic values. Permits help assure that work done in such areas takes appropriate measures to protect waterways and their surroundings. None of the landowners had a permit for their work.

“The Corps has been communicating with these landowners since the beginning, regarding the value of these wetlands and the Corps’ jurisdiction. They refused many opportunities to achieve voluntary compliance by building around the wetlands. The landowners chose not to cooperate with the Corps in developing construction plans that satisfied both the wetland requirement and their business interests,” EPA Region 8 Enforcement Chief Carol Rushin said.

The landowners have five days from their receipt of the order to notify EPA whether they intend to comply. They have 30 days to submit a plan prepared by wetland scientists and hydrologists for returning the wetlands to their original function. They must start the restoration work 14 days after EPA approval of their plan and complete it under a schedule contained in the plan.

The area, located in the primarily industrial West Valley City, was extensively mapped in 1996 and designated with a “Special Area Management Plan” to preserve its wetland resources. The destroyed wetlands provided critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Some provided filtration and storage for stormwater runoff. Without the wetlands, some of the buildings and surrounding sites may become flooded when local gutter and sewer systems are overwhelmed.

“This is how are nation’s wetlands are disappearing – parcel by parcel. Rapid development pressure in and around Salt Lake City is causing huge cumulative wetlands losses,” EPA Enforcement Specialist John Brink said.

The property owners are Roland Oman and Utah Track and Welding; Randy Peterson, Don Parker and Nu Team, Inc.; Ron Mattenson and Ronco, Inc.; and Gary Porter and Porter and Sons Construction, Inc.

The Clean Water Act authorizes penalties of up to $27,500 per violation for failure to comply with an order.