The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the nationwide homebuilder failed to stop stormwater from leaving sites in Northampton, Lehigh, Warren and Hunterdon counties.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Toll Brothers Inc. for potential water pollution at 370 construction sites, including 18 in Northampton, Lehigh, Warren and Hunterdon counties.
The agency said the nationwide builder specializing in luxury homes failed to stop storm water from leaving 43 sites in New Jersey and 55 in Pennsylvania.
The proposed penalty is $741,000, according to the agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. The proposed penalty was announced last week.
The penalty also calls for Toll Brothers to designate storm water managers, report regularly to the agency, train and orient employees and contractors, and conduct regular inspections.
The penalty would become final after a 30-day comment period and a court ruling.
Toll Brothers declined to comment.
The agency said water that runs off construction sites is full of sediment and can carry pollutants such as debris, oils and chemicals to waterways.
The New Jersey Sierra Club environmental advocacy group blamed the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for not spotting the pollution first.
“We are glad the EPA has stepped in and gone after these Clean Water Act violations," New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said in a statement. "However, New Jersey DEP not only did not catch these violations and the pollution from them, but has missed out on receiving federal funding because we were not part of the federal action.”
Virginia and Maryland would receive $17,000 and $22,000, respectively, if the penalty is approved.
New Jersey DEP spokesman Larry Ragonese called the Sierra Club's claim "ridiculous." The DEP helped the EPA in an investigation that started in Maryland, he said.
"It's no different than the state police and FBI working together," Ragonese said. "They were in the lead in this investigation and we helped them in any way we could."
The EPA said the new controls will reduce sediment in runoff from Toll Brothers sites by 217 million pounds annually nationwide.
Among the states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey ranked first and second in the number of alleged violations.
RUNOFF
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims Toll Brothers failed to stop potentially polluted storm water from leaving 370 construction sites nationwide. The local sites are:
Northampton County
- 4390 Anthony Court in Bethlehem Township
- 333 Clearview Ave. at Bushkill Manor in Bushkill Township
- 4555 Homestead Drive at Foxwood Farms in Lower Nazareth Township
- 208 Donato Court at Jacobsburg Manor Estates in Bushkill Township
- 1860 Clarence Drive at Saucon Valley Meadows in Lower Saucon Township
- 115 Alexandra Circle at Toll Brothers at Saddle Creek in Upper Mount Bethel Township
- 25 Hidden Meadow Drive Woodside in Williams Township
Lehigh County
- 1653 Red Oak Lane in Macungie
- 23 Scenic Hills Drive Blairstown Township
Hunterdon County
- 3 Balmoral Drive at Alexandria Estates in Alexandria Township
- 52 Albert Road at Lookout Pointe in Union Township