All News Releases By Date

Real Estate Developer Settles Wetlands Violation in Meadville, Pa.

Release Date: 12/17/2003
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

PHILADELPHIA – Meadville Real Estate L.P. and its partners Meadville Associates, Inc., George Saad and George Maier have settled a complaint by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the unpermitted filling of protected wetlands in Meadville, Crawford Co., Pa.

In an agreement with EPA, these parties agreed to pay a $10,000 penalty for filling in two acres of wetlands near a tributary of Van Horn Creek, without awaiting issuance of a permit required under the Clean Water Act.

Under the law, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit is required before dredged or fill material may be discharged into wetlands areas. The permit requirement is designed to minimize the destruction of wetlands, which serve a number of critical environmental and economic functions -- including flood control, water filtration, and wildlife habitat.

According to EPA, Meadville Real Estate applied for a permit as part of the Vernon Town Square commercial development project, but did not await for the permit from the Army Corps before beginning to discharge fill into the wetlands in October 2001. Pursuant to the permit that the Army Corps issued in September 2002, Meadville Real Estate created five acres of new wetlands to mitigate the filling of two acres of wetlands at the site.

For more information about wetlands and permitting requirements, visit https://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/. Compliance assistance to landowners is also available at https://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/landasst.html.