The Ritz-Carlton Resort in U.S. Virgin Islands Fined for Clean Water Act Violations
The company did not meet monitoring standards for treated wastewater discharges.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jul 28, 2023
The Ritz-Carlton Resort located on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, has landed in hot water with the EPA.
In a release dated July 26, the EPA announced it had determined the Ritz-Carlton Resort violated the Clean Water Act. According to the EPA, the resort failed to meet monitoring requirements for a period of almost five years and report on discharges of treated wastewater. As a result, the EPA has issued a civil penalty of $30,000 to the Ritz-Carlton for non-compliance.
The Clean Water Act does issue permits to applicants who wish to discharge. However, permit holders are then expected to monitor this discharge for pollutants and report their results. The EPA investigation found Ritz-Carlton’s desalination operations did not meet standards. The cause behind the violations has already been addressed, the statement revealed.
“The Ritz Carlton is required to monitor its discharges into the ocean under the conditions of the Clean Water Act permit,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia in a statement. “EPA will hold companies accountable when they violate critical laws that protect public health and the environment.”
Ritz-Carlton will next take on a supplemental environmental project—estimated at $27,000—to protect a nearby wetland and improve water quality in neighboring Turquoise Bay. This involves an oil and water separator as well as sediment traps in both locations to minimize the discharge of oil and sediment into the water and remediate the negative impact on surrounding wildlife.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.