Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley has settled with Vista Corporation and Clover Flat Landfill Inc. over environmental violations stemming from a leachate spill in March 2019. The county’s legal action, triggered by an initial investigation from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, revealed that 40,000 gallons of leachate, a contaminant-heavy liquid, had leaked into streams tributary to the Napa River, putting local water quality and aquatic life at risk, according to a statement released by the Napa County District Attorney’s Office.
The findings led to a lawsuit that has culminated in the defendants agreeing to undertake extensive environmental restoration, including habitat reconstruction over 4.24 acres. Part of the restoration includes the removal of a non-permitted road and the reinstating of the natural stream flow. The estimated cost for on-site restoration is around $4 million. Moreover, the defendants are slated to commit over $2.6 million to other Napa County restoration efforts, details of which were outlined in the settlement. These funds will aid in projects such as the Bale Slough-Bear Creek Tributary Restoration and the Huichica Creek Restoration Project.
Additional settlement terms include strict injunctions against future pollution, with the defendants barred from releasing any pollutants into nearby streams or altering stream flows without appropriate authorization from the Department of Fish and Wildlife. A $100,000 civil penalty is part of the settlement, which might increase to $500,000 should the defendants fail to adhere to the injunctive terms. The settlement arrangement is pending court approval. District Attorney Haley underscored the importance of such prosecutions, stating, “This settlement reflects the severity of the leachate spill, as well as Clover Flat’s willingness to engage in a comprehensive and long-term environmental restoration plan,” in an announcement provided by the Napa County District Attorney’s Office…