| BayKeeper
Action:
These photos of Marin Creek were taken by Baykeeper 11/6/98. They were used as evidence by District Attorney Jeff Holtzman in the prosecution of the Petaluma Mushroom Farm in Superior Court. Shown are Marin Creek (dry) upstream of the Farm, the discharge pipe from the Farm directly into the creek, and the creek downstream from the Farm, running with Diazinon contaminated Mushroom Farm waste.
On September 23, 1999, the Mushroom Farm settled in Sonoma County Superior Court Case #222564 for of Pollution of a Waterway (Ca. Fish & Game Code #5650a6) and Unfair Business Competition (Ca. Business & Professional Code #1720). See: Superior Court Stipulation for Entry of Judgement. The Farm paid $15,000 in fines, and was required, as part of the settlement, to relocate the composting part of their operation within one year: "Defendant shall, within a period of one year from the date of entry of Judgement (September 23, 1999), relocate its composting operations from its existing location at 782 Thompson Lane"BayKeeper letter 10/19/99 - "a pattern of disregard for both California's water quality laws, as well as a chronic disregard of the requirements set forth in the facility's use permit..." BayKeeper letter 11/1/99 - "Indeed, in my over ten years of advocacy on behalf of the Bay and its watershed, this is the first time I am aware of a local creek being literally cauterized by animal waste." |
