EPA News Release (Region 7): Osage County, Mo., Landowner Agrees to Pay $24,500 Civil Penalty for Unpermitted Dredging and Filling of Bailey’s Creek

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101   Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations   Osage County, Mo., Landowner Agrees to Pay $24,500 Civil Penalty for Unpermitted Dredging and Filling of Bailey’s Creek   Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov Environmental News   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   (Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 3, 2011) - An Osage County, Mo., landowner has agreed to pay a $24,500 civil penalty to the United States for performing unpermitted dredge and fill activities that impacted approximately 1,490 feet of Baileys Creek.   According to an administrative consent agreement filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan., Ronald Roche, of St. Louis, Mo., placed gravel and other fill material into the central Missouri creek in October 2008 without first obtaining a proper permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as required by the federal Clean Water Act.   The practice of pushing gravel or sediment up against stream banks in an attempt to stabilize them is only a temporary fix that further degrades stream habitat and water quality. Gravel pushing destroys aquatic habitat and increases sediment in streams, leading to reduced water quality. It also can have negative downstream impacts, such as increased bank erosion and flooding, as a result of increased stream velocity.   In settlement of the matter, and in addition to payment of the civil penalty, Roche has agreed to perform restoration work on the impacted site to compensate for lost stream functions.   # # #   Learn more about EPA’s civil enforcement of the Clean Water Act   Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7     Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.     View all Region 7 News Releases     You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support@govdelivery.com for assistance.  This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  This email was sent to elmasry.webmaster@gmail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355