On 6 April 2014, CSPA settled a Clean Water Act lawsuit against Guntert & Zimmerman for violations of the California General Industrial Stormwater Permit. Guntert & Zimmerman operates a 22-acre construction machinery equipment and metal services used for processing, fabrication and storage of various sheet metal and metal products in Ripon California. The lawsuit alleged that the facility discharged polluted stormwater into the Ripon storm drain system, the Stanislaus River and ultimately the Delta.
The settlement agreement obligates Guntert & Zimmerman to comply fully with the Clean Water Act, develop and implement a suite of Best Management Practices and structural improvements, conduct more frequent and comprehensive monitoring and prepare an adequate Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. The agreement incorporates provisions that allow CSPA to return to court for enforcement if pollutant benchmarks continue to be exceeded.
As mitigation for past violations, Guntert & Zimmerman agreed to send $45,000 to the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment to fund environmental projects to improve water quality in local watersheds. They also agreed to reimburse CSPA’s costs of bringing suit. Jackson & Tuerck and the Law Offices of Andrew Packard represented CSPA in this matter.