EPA deems violations 'serious'

   SANDPOINT — The Environmental Protection Agency is accusing the Idaho Transportation Department and the lead contractor of the U.S. Highway 95 bypass of what it calls “serious” violations of the Federal Clean Water Act.

   In the complaint, which was filed late last month, EPA claims ITD and Parsons RCI, the project’s lead contractor, violated the Clean Water Act seven times, most of which centered around failures to update a stormwater pollution prevention plan.

   EPA officials inspected the five-acre bypass site in late January and reported violations ranging from a misplaced notice of intent sign to not updating a storm water pollution prevention plan.

   EPA also alleges ITD and Parsons did not implement the required sediment control measures, such as silt fences and vegetative buffer strips, at two areas of the construction site.

   “Given the close proximity to the creek and the amount of exposed soils along the length of the creek, potential to cause significant environmental harm was high in this case,” the complaint reads.

   In an e-mail sent to the Bee, ITD’s Panhandle spokeswoman Barbara Babic downplayed the accusations.

   “Most of the issues raised by the inspector concerned providing the proper paperwork onsite, locating signs in a more conspicuous place and failing to include dates in the Storm Water Prevention Plan that indicated when construction activities stopped on the site,” she said.

   EPA is proposing a penalty of $65,000 for the violations. Babic said ITD is reviewing complaint and hopes a cooperative resolution can be reached.

   Earth-disturbing construction ended Wednesday, although ITD has obtained waivers to conduct wall work this winter.