Airport fined for construction-related pollution violations

CHARLESTON — Yeager Airport has agreed to pay $15,000 in fines to settle water pollution violations stemming from a runway and taxiway construction project.

The state Department of Environmental Protection says Yeager also agreed to repair and improve a Coonskin Park trail damaged by slides, at a cost of $21,750.

A DEP public notice issued Wednesday says Yeager and its contractors failed to control sediment runoff in 2007. On at least three occasions, the runoff polluted Coonskin Branch.

Mike Zeto, the DEP’s chief environmental enforcement inspector, says the problems have since been corrected.

Yeager spokesman Brian Belcher says monetary penalties for such violations can be passed on to the contractor, Cast and Baker, under the airport’s agreement with the company.