EPA board denies dismissal request
After seven years of illegal dumping and four notices of violation, the Taitano dump may finally see some corrective action as Guam EPA board members voted unanimously to deny owner Joseph Taitano's request to dismiss the case.
By KUAM Newsby Krystal Paco
Guam - After seven years of illegal dumping and four notices of violation, the Taitano dump may finally see some corrective action as Guam EPA board members voted unanimously to deny owner Joseph Taitano's request to dismiss the case. Guam EPA environmental specialist Don Quinata as well as Guam EPA administrator Ivan Quinata testified to the board with pictures and documentation of the ongoing activities at the Yigo site.
The proposed corrective action entails that Taitano install two groundwater monitoring wells, sample the wells semi-annually, install chain-link fencing around the perimeter of the quarry, and submit the adjusted penalty fine of $312,000 within 60 calendar days. It has yet to be determined
whether the trash on site will be removed due to the potential danger it may cause to neighboring residents.
Both Joseph Taitano and attorney Curtis Vandeveld failed to attend the special hearing.