Schellinger Construction was issued on August 12, a fine of 15,000 US dollars for the accidental shipping of Muddy Water in Garnier Creek.
Garnier Creek is a small trout current next to Tamarack Meadows, which belongs to Schellinger. The muddy water went into the stream when the company pumped water from nearby rainwater ponds.
The Board of the Flathead Conservation District determined the spill in the violation of the law on natural flocks and landlades. The company pumped water out of the ponds into a sprinkler system when mud agreed a pipe and the water blew a line. It was supposed to flow back into the pond, but a channel was blocked and the muddy water went into the stream, the company said at that time.
The company said it reported the incident itself.
The stream ran muddy for a few days and had visible a mud on the floor.
Kyle Schellinger contacted last week and declined to comment on a fine.
He said the company didn't want to do anything that would harm more. The ponds, which have been under construction for several weeks, have now been completed, with seeds and fabric for future erosion.
The Conservation District gave the project a so -called 310 license for the construction of the ponds, but the spill was outside the frame of the pond project. The Department of Environmental Quality also approved the pond.
Now Schellinger has to submit an application application restoration and the banks from Garnier Creek by October 6th. According to Samantha Tappenbeck, resource protectionist at the Flathead Conservation District.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK3DWCNP450
Technically speaking, the fine is 500 US dollars a day for every day of a violation, but the company will not comply with before the date of October 6th, which leads to a maximum punishment.
Even before the event on August 12, the Department of Environmental Quality found several cases in which the pond construction did not follow “best management practices”, according to a violation that was sent to the company on August 4.
“The best management practices were not properly installed to limit the discharge from the website,” wrote John O'bannon from the Department of Environmental Quality.
The company had to use several measures to contain the erosion by August 15 or possible punishments.
The neighbors were dissatisfied with the subdivision right from the start. When it was approved by the city for the first time a few years ago, they claimed that the development was too dense compared to other housing estates in the region.
When it's done, Tamarack Meadow will be part of the Meadow Lake Resort.