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Granite Construction’s history of environmental violations

“It looks like they consider fines to be a cost of doing business and that they prefer to pay the fine rather than to correct the problem.”
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We have found reports of Granite Construction violating at least 40 federal and state environmental regulations dating back to 1992. [See references below]  All of these violations resulted in fines that Granite Construction was required to pay to the relevant regulatory authority. The total sum of fines connected to the 40 environmental violations we have found so far is over $1.4 million.  In addition, they’ve engaged in serious financial fraud and multiple workplace safety violations. 
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The specific environmental regulations that Granite Construction violated relate to:

  • Air pollution
  • Failing to control fugitive dust
  • Hazardous waste
  • Operating without a permit
  • Violating air quality standards
  • Violating the Clean Water Act
  • Water pollution [3]
  • Environmental violations 
  1. Washington: 2022 -> $36,000 (air pollution) Washington State Department of Ecology on fined Granite Construction $36,000 for air pollution released from the company’s Moses Lake asphalt plant.
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  2. SEC: 2022 -> The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the California-based contractor and a former executive with financial reporting fraud. Granite agreed to pay $12 million to settle the SEC’s charges against the company.
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  3. Granite also paid $129 million to investors to settle a class action suit related to the fraud
  4. EPA: 2018 -> $9,347 for violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA)that occurred during operation of its Hot Mix Asphalt plant located on the Colville Reservation in Okanogan, Washington.
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  5. Utah: 2017 -> $19,500 (water pollution) During work on U.S. Highway 40, Granite discharged 568,000 gallons of contaminated water into storm drains that led to Silver Creek.  The Utah Department of Environmental Quality fined them $19,500.
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  6. Illinois: 2017 -> $17,500 (water pollution)
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  7. California:2015 -> The Ecological Rights Foundation accused Granite Construction Co in a June 2015 lawsuit of failing to maintain controls over stormwater runoff at a Santa Cruz County quarry in violation of the U.S. Clean Water Act and a permit. Granite agreed to a settlement with ERF in May 2016.
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  8. USAO: 2015 -> $8,250,000 (fraud – using a fronting company)
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  9. EPA: 2013 -> $735,000 (water pollution) Granite agreed to pay a $735,000 cash penalty and to institute new internal programs to settle serious Clean Water Act violations that occurred at an Oregon highway construction site in 2006. That year, Granite caused sediment to be discharged to multiple water bodies along the construction corridor of Highway 20 for months, without authorization.
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  10. Alaska/DOJ: 2010 -> $250,000 (clean water act violation)
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  11. Oregon: 2007 -> $240,000 (water pollution)
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  12. San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District: 1992-2005 -> In the Central Valley, the company was cited 25 times and fined a total of $25,750 by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, for plants it operates in Kern and Tulare counties. Dating back to 1992, the violations were for failures to contain dust, operate a ventilation system properly and comply with permit conditions.
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  13. California Department of Toxic Substances Control: 2003 -> $4,000 (hazardous waste violation)
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  14. Colorado: 2001 -> $11,700 (air quality violation)
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  15. (NEW) Nevada 2018 -> $2,000 For failure to fully stabilize site soils resulting in plumes of fugitive dust
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  16. Nevada: 2000 -> $6,785 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  17. Nevada: 2000 -> $15,400 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  18. Nevada: 1999 -> $9,670 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  19. Nevada: 1998 -> $12,000 (most issues:failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  20. Nevada: 1998 -> $8,000 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  21. Nevada: 1998 -> $30,000 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  22. Nevada: 1993 -> $3,500 (most issues: failure to control dust; some for operating without permits)
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  23.  [Nevada Environmental Commissioner] Mark Doppe, who is in the construction industry, said there are other companies with nearly as many job sites as Granite which have far fewer violations.
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