STERLING SUFFOLK RACETRACK FACILITY ACCUSED OF CRIMES AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT
Boston, MA – In a shocking turn of events, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts have taken Sterling Suffolk Racecourse LLC to task for violating the Clean Water Act at its Suffolk Downs racetrack facility in Revere and East Boston, Mass.
According to the federal complaint, Suffolk allowed polluted wastewater, including horse manure, urine, and bedding material, to discharge into Sales Creek, a tributary of Belle Isle Inlet and Boston Harbor. In addition, the federal complaint alleges that Suffolk operated its concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), which stables race horses from March through November, without a permit under the CWA.
The company will pay a civil penalty of $1.25 million to resolve the violations, in addition to spending more than $3 million to prevent polluted water from entering nearby waterways. The racetrack will also perform three environmental projects worth approximately $742,000 that will provide water quality monitoring and protection efforts for more than 123 square miles of watershed.
The terms of the settlement are contained in a consent decree lodged in federal court in Boston today.
In response to EPA’s enforcement at this facility, Suffolk is completing construction of a wastewater collection system, is making improvements to its stormwater collection system and has applied for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Suffolk will minimize the volume of and properly manage the wastewater it produces, which will now be collected in a detention pond and discharged during non-peak hours to the sanitary sewer system.
According to the EPA, inspections revealed that Suffolk Down’s process wastewater discharged from the facility to Sales Creek during dry and wet weather. EPA inspectors observed stormwater contaminated with manure and turbid, brown runoff being discharged from the facility to Sales Creek. Sampling conducted at various outfalls discharging from the Suffolk Downs facility indicated elevated levels of pollutants, including ammonia, suspended solids, and bacteria.
Defendant: Sterling Suffolk Racecourse LLC
Criminal Charges: Violations of the Clean Water Act
City and State: Boston, MA
Exact Date: March 2024
Sentence or Outcome: $1.25 million civil penalty, $3 million spent on environmental projects
Dollar Amounts: $1.25 million, $3 million, $742,000
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Environmental Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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