TCEQ seeks $18,813 fine against YFZ
 Officials expect second round of fines to follow
 
The Eldorado Success
 
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has handed down its first penalties, totaling $18,813.00, against YFZ Land L.L.C., the company that owns the YFZ Ranch.

According to a document filed Monday with TCEQ Chief Clerk LaDonna Castanuela, TCEQ inspectors found forty separate violations of state environmental rules during four visits to the ranch, beginning on April 16 and continuing through August 16, 2004.

Among the violations were the ranch’s failure to obtain a permit to operate an on-site sewage disposal system and failure to obtain an air quality permit at for a cement bulk plant. YFZ personnel later applied for and received the necessary air quality permit. A permit to construct and operate a wastewater treatment plant is under review at TCEQ headquarters in Austin.

Other violations noted in the TCEQ report was the failure to take the cement plant out of operation after the first citation, the dumping and burning of municipal solid waste, the dumping of partially treated wastewater on ranch roads, and failing to notify TCEQ of the start up of a new public water system.

Wendy Cooper, an attorney with the TCEQ Litigation Division told the Success on Tuesday that YFZ officials will have 20 days to respond to the petition filed by her office. At that time the YFZ could request a hearing on the matter. She said that ranch officials could also contact the TCEQ to negotiate a settlement.

If YFZ officials don’t respond to the petition, the complaint will be forwarded to the agency’s executive director for enforcement, Ms. Cooper said.

Meanwhile, a series of subsequent complaints are still winding their way through the channels at TCEQ. The Success is aware of three inspections by state regulators since the August 16, 2004 inspection referred to Monday’s petition. Each of those inspections reportedly turned up additional violations, including the continued burning of trash, storm water runoff from the ranch’s rock quarry and the ponding of untreated wastewater.

Last week, local pilots began reporting that work had begun on the construction of a wastewater treatment plant near Milligan Draw on the northeast corner of the ranch. Aerial photos obtained by the Success last week confirmed that report and TCEQ officials told the newspaper on Tuesday that the agency has not yet issued a permit for the facility and that work on the plant should not begin until a permit is issued.

The Eldorado Success invites Warren Jeffs and/or other leaders of the FLDS church to comment on this or any other story surrounding the FLDS and the YFZ Ranch.
 
MyEldorado.net
Originally published March 3, 2005
 
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