"The violations here are serious and long-running. They involve actual pollution - not just paperwork violations - that can pose public health risks."
"Baykeeper, an environmental watchdog group, filed lawsuits against Mountain View and Sunnyvale, alleging the cities' stormwater systems were polluting local creeks."
"Their findings demonstrated similar results, with E. coli levels exceeding acceptable standards, according to the court order."
"Civil penalties can go as high as $68,445 per day and per violation, with potential fines exceeding $86 million per city."
Mountain View has been fined $1.2 million for violating the Clean Water Act by allowing raw sewage to enter Stevens Creek, posing health risks. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ruled that the city failed to comply with permit requirements. Sunnyvale was also fined the same amount for similar violations. Environmental group Baykeeper filed lawsuits in 2020, revealing high bacteria levels in local creeks. Both cities' monitoring confirmed these findings, with E. coli levels exceeding standards. Civil penalties could reach $68,445 per day per violation, but the judge deemed a starting point of $86 million per city excessive.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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