Court finds developers guilty of stormwater violations

NYSDEC issued a press release this week detailing the case against Fless 5 Development, Inc. and its CEO Shane Klein of Brooklyn, who stood accused of violating a court-ordered stipulation requiring the company to comply with stormwater permitting requirements.

The court found that the two defendants failed to complete seven site stabilization measures, failed to hire a qualified engineer to conduct site inspections, and failed to submit required stormwater retention pond evaluation plans by the deadlines agreed to in the court-ordered stipulation. The stormwater permitting violations occurred in the town of Hunter, Greene County.

The resulting erosion from the noncompliance affected several waterways, including Schoharie Creek. Fless 5 and Klein have been ordered to pay a total of $135,000 of which $50,000, which will come from Klein personally for violating a court order which he signed guaranteeing environmental standards would be met, will go to hire a contractor to bring the Hunter site up to regulation. The full press release can be accessed here.

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