Ryland Group Inc. To Pay $625,000 Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Storm Water Controls

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice announced last week that Ryland Group Inc. is to pay a civil penalty of $625,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Ryland will also invest in compliance programs to improve employee training and increase management oversight at all current and future construction sites. The company is required to inspect its current and future construction sites routinely to minimize storm water runoff from sites.

“Protecting America’s water resources, like the Chesapeake Bay, by keeping contaminated storm water from flowing unchecked into our waterways is one of EPA’s top priorities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance and Assurance. “Today’s settlement will improve Ryland’s oversight of storm water runoff at its construction sites nationwide and protect our nation’s water resources.”

EPA estimates the settlement will prevent millions of pounds of sediment from entering U.S. waterways every year, including sediment that would otherwise enter the Chesapeake Bay, North America’s largest and most biologically diverse estuary.

The government complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement agreement in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte, N.C., alleges a pattern of violations that was discovered through site inspections and by reviewing documentation submitted by Ryland. The alleged violations include failure to obtain permits until after construction began, failing to obtain permits at all or failing to comply with permit requirements at sites where Ryland did obtain permits. Alleged permit violations include not developing complete storm water pollution prevention plans, failure to conduct adequate inspections, and failure to install or implement adequate storm water controls or practices.

The settlement requires Ryland to obtain all required permits; develop site-specific pollution prevention plans for each construction site; conduct additional site inspections beyond those required by storm water regulations; and document and promptly correct any problems detected. The company must properly train construction managers and contractors on storm water requirements and designate trained staff for each site. Ryland must also submit national compliance summary reports to EPA based on its quarterly management oversight inspections and reviews.

Source: U.S. EPA