Gravel company reaches pollution settlement - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports

MADISON (WAOW) – A Clark County company has agreed to pay $30,000 to settle a dispute with the state regarding storm water discharges at its non-metallic mines near Neillsville, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Monday.

The state alleged in a civil complaint that Opelt Sand & Gravel operated without storm water discharge permits from the state Department of Natural Resources, threatening the Black River, Van Hollen said in a statement.

All the company's sites now have the proper permits and the company is “managing the discharges in a way that does not threaten local natural resources,” Van Hollen said.

According to the settlement, Opelt Sand & Gravel agreed to pay $10,000, starting next August, for each of the next three years to settle the matter. The dispute dates back to 1990s, the state's complaint said.

A spokesperson for Opelt Sand & Gravel did not immediately return a telephone message for comment Monday.