Four home builders to pay $4.3M in fines

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- Four of the nation's largest homebuilders agreed to pay $4.3 million to settle alleged storm sewer violations, the U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday.

In addition to the fines, the companies agreed to implement compliance programs and install controls that will prevent 1.2 billion pounds of sediment getting into U.S. waterways, the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a joint news release.

The four separate settlements resolve alleged violations of storm water run-off regulations at construction sites in 34 states and the District of Columbia. The companies are Centex Homes, Dallas; KB Home, Los Angeles; Pulte Homes, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; and Richmond American Homes, Denver.

The complaints alleged officials found a pattern of violations by reviewing documentation submitted by the companies and through federal and state site inspections.

Along with the federal government, seven state co-plaintiffs joined the settlements, the Justice Department said, receiving a portion of the penalties based on the number of sites located within that state.

"Today's settlements mark an important step forward in protecting our waters from harmful storm water runoff from construction activities," said Ronald Tenpas, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.