A federal judge has ordered Republic Services of Pennsylvania, operator of Modern Landfill in York County, to pay a $9.2 million civil penalty for violating the Clean Water Act by repeatedly discharging pollutants into Kreutz Creek.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson found the company committed 419 permit violations between 2019 and 2023 involving boron and osmotic pressure, pollutants linked to wastewater from the landfill. The court found Republic knew as early as 2016 that its treatment system could not meet permit limits but did not complete a reverse osmosis treatment upgrade until 2023.
The judge said Republic “dragged its heels on the path towards compliance for about six years” and concluded the violations posed a serious risk of environmental harm.
The court determined Republic gained about $4.6 million in economic benefits by delaying compliance and set the penalty at roughly double that amount to deter future violations.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, which called the ruling a major victory for Clean Water Act enforcement.
“This civil penalty imposed by the court today provides a clear signal that neglecting responsibility to protect our waterways will be met with severe consequence,” said Ted Evgeniadis, the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, a news release.
