ITD agrees to more than $1M in EPA fines

BOISE - The Idaho Transportation Department has agreed to pay more than $1 million in fines for Clean Water Act violations related to construction on Highway 95 south of Coeur d’Alene, including an additional $774,000 in fines it’ll pay now on top of the $325,000 it paid in 2008. The agreement between ITD and the EPA is part of a settlement that also ends five years of annual audits of ITD by the EPA to monitor compliance; in addition, ITD made various improvements in its practices over the past five years as part of its agreement with the EPA, including requiring winter shutdowns for contractors, strengthening compliance rules for contractors, and improving training. “We expect to continue improving those processes as part of our commitment to accountability and transparency,” said ITD Deputy Director Scott Stokes. “I am pleased this process is concluded.”