Asbestos Settlement 1999
Three Asbestos Cases Settled for $37,549
During April 2002, the Strategic Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Section staff, in cooperation with the Enforcement Division's asbestos program coordinator Ahmad Najjar, closed three asbestos demolition cases totaling $37,549.
Case #1 and 2: Granitos / JTS Construction:A Granite Bay restaurant owned by Lucy Mestas was being renovated. During that time, an asbestos containing ceiling material was removed and illegally disposed. JTS Construction, owned by Thomas J. Sanches, was hired to do the renovation, which wasn't a certified asbestos removal contractor. They illegally removed and disposed the asbestos containing "popcorn" ceiling material. The "cleanup" that JTS performed included hosing the leftover material into the parking lot of the restaurant.
The cases were originally referred to the Circuit Prosecutor from the California District Attorney's (DA) Association who later sent them on to the Placer County DA's office. The cases filed against Lucy Mestas and JTS Construction were settled for $13,000 each ($10,000 for penalties and $3,000 for investigative costs). Investigative costs are to be split between the Air Resources Board (ARB) and Placer County DA's office.
Case #3:Homecoverings Inc. / Young's Carpet One: Randy Young, the owner of Young's Carpet One, was charged with the illegal removal and disposal of asbestos containing floor tile from the break room of the Washington Ridge Youth Correctional Fire Camp in Grass Valley, Nevada County. The defendant was not certified to perform asbestos related work. The floor tiles were to be disposed in a nearby landfill.
The case was settled by William Richmand, Circuit Prosecutor for the California DA's Association. The settlement requires that, within 90 days, employees of Young's Carpet One obtain all necessary certification to perform asbestos related work and that the defendant pay a $10,000 penalty, pay $1,000 investigative recovery costs to ARB and $549 to the Nevada County Superior Court.