MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced a $100,000 settlement with Paul Bugar Trucking Inc. and owner Paul J. Bugar.
According to a news release, the Nov. 22 settlement resolves a civil environmental enforcement action alleging violations of a Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination (WPDES) System permit for the company’s non-metallic mining operations in Clark County, Wisconsin.
“Companies entrusted with WPDES permits must uphold their obligations under those permits,” Kaul said. “When those obligations aren’t met, Wisconsin DOJ is prepared to act to ensure that clean water is protected.”
The state’s complaint alleges five total violations related to discharges from one of the company’s mining pits.
One of the violations is for allegedly failing to collect representative water samples for testing prior to discharging; one is for allegedly failing to treat wastewater before discharging; one is for allegedly exceeding pollution discharge limitations; one is for allegedly failing to submit annual inspection reports; and one is for allegedly failing to conduct sampling of the wastewater for oil, grease and phosphorus pollutants.
The proposed agreement requires the company to pay a total of $100,000 in forfeitures, surcharges, court costs and attorney fees. The Order for Judgment was signed by Clark County Circuit Court Judge Lyndsey Brunette on Nov. 21.
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance approved the proposed resolution on Oct. 18.
Assistant Attorney General Zachary B. Corrigan represented the state and worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
