On 7 February 2014, CSPA filed a lawsuit against Las Animas Concrete and Building Supply Inc., in Santa Cruz California for substantive and procedural violations of the federal Clean Water Act and California’s General Industrial Stormwater Permit. The lawsuit alleges that Las Animas illegally discharges pollutants to the City’s storm sewer drainage system, which flows to the San Lorenzo River and Pacific Ocean. Pollutants discharged above applicable limits include: iron, zinc, lead, aluminum, oil & grease, pH, specific conductivity and total suspended solids.
The action asks the court to: 1) declare Las Animas to be in violation of the law; 2) enjoin defendants from discharging pollutants to surface waters in violation of their permit and from further violating the substantive and procedural requirements of the permit; 3) take appropriate actions to restore the quality of waters impaired by their activities, and 4) pay civil penalties for each day of violation and reimburse CSPA the costs of bringing the complaint. The Law Offices of Andrew Packard is representing CSPA in this matter.