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EPA Settles Clean Water Act Case with Harrah’s Casino for Unpermitted Waste Discharges to the Delaware River

Release Date: 01/26/2011
Contact Information: David Sternberg 215-814-5548 sternberg.david@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 26, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has settled a Clean Water Act case with Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack (Harrah’s) for unpermitted discharges to the Delaware River. Under the settlement, Harrah’s has agreed to pay a $39,000 penalty and to take measures, costing an estimated $24,000, to reduce water pollution from the facility.

EPA inspected the horse racing facility in Chester, Delaware County, Pa. on April 27 2009. EPA alleges that its inspectors observed evidence of horse manure and other pollution in close proximity to several inlets of a stormwater collection system that discharges to the Delaware River

On July 28, 2009, EPA ordered Harrah’s to obtain a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP), which the facility failed to do in a timely manner. In July 2010, the company applied to PaDEP for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) discharge permit. PaDEP is currently reviewing the application.

As part of the settlement, Harrah’s has neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations.