Walmart To Pay Big for Clean Water Violations 

Wal-Mart will pay Utah $558,000 for pollution lapses 

By Judy Fahys - The Salt Lake Tribune [Received May 17th, 2004]

Utah will receive part of a $3.1 million settlement being paid by Wal-Mart

Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, for bungling federal storm water

protections at two dozen sites in nine states. According to the U.S. Justice

Department, which brought the case on behalf of the states and the

Environmental Protection Agency, Wal- Mart violated the federal Clean Water

Act as it planned and implemented runoff controls at and around five Utah

construction sites. Under the settlement, Utah will get $558,000; the

federal government, $2.5 million, and Tennessee, $62,000. The company also

must spend $250,000 to help protect sensitive waterways in one state and

beef up its environmental program by appointing a national storm water

director as well as oversight officials at each construction site. "The

point is to make sure that storm water compliance is on the radar for every

single site they build," said Laura J. Lockhart, an attorney for the state.

"And I'm confident that it will be." Lockhart noted the fine was unusually

high by Utah standards for the offenses in this state, but she pointed out

that it was the second time the Justice Department had gone after Wal-Mart

over storm water violations. In 2001, the company agreed to pay $1 million

in penalties. "We appreciate the government's focus on the environment and

feel confident that the agreement we reached with the EPA will strengthen

environmental compliance nationwide," said Gus Whitcomb, director of

corporate communications for Wal-Mart, adding the company's agreement with

the EPA "will strengthen environmental compliance nationwide." "We also

believe that this agreement sets a new industry standard for developers and

their contractors, who also make daily decisions which impact compliance,"

he said. "We will begin implementing new measures at our construction sites

and sincerely hope to be a trendsetter in environmental compliance moving

forward." Wal-Mart has 36 retail stores and three distribution centers in

Utah. Environmental inspectors found violations two years ago at

construction sites in Riverdale, West Valley City, Logan and two in West

Jordan. Storm-water runoff pollutes waterways with sediment that kills fish,

destroys habitat and blocks light critical to plant life. Storm water also

disperses pesticides, chemicals, solvents and other toxic substances.
Wal-Mart operates nearly 3,600 retail stores that had reported sales of $256

billion in its fiscal year ending Jan. 31. ----- The Associated Press

contributed to this report. 

Last updated: May 24, 2004
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