CSPA has settled a Clean Water Act lawsuit against Stockton Recycling, Inc., for violations of the California General Industrial Stormwater Permit. Stockton Recycling operates three recycling facilities in Stockton, California. The lawsuit alleged that the facilities discharged polluted stormwater into the City of Stockton’s municipal storm drain system, which empties into the San Joaquin River and Delta.
The settlement agreement obligates Stockton Recycling 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, Stockton Recycling agreed to send $100,000 to the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment to fund environmental projects to improve water quality. They also agreed to reimburse CSPA’s costs of bringing suit. The Law Offices of Andrew Packard represented CSPA in this matter.