Toll Brothers agrees to pay pollution fine

Home builder accused of failing to control storm runoff

Toll Brothers, one of the nation's largest home-building companies, has agreed to pay $741,000 in penalties for allowing polluted runoff from construction sites in Maryland and 22 other states, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday.

The Pennsylvania-based builder was accused of failing to stabilize disturbed soil or properly install and maintain runoff controls such as silt fences, swales and sediment ponds.

Forty of the 370 building sites found in violation by EPA are in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where officials say storm-water runoff is a significant and growing source of pollution.

The company agreed to beef up employee training and oversight of storm-water controls on its projects.

Maryland joined in the settlement and is in line to receive $22,000 of the penalty, EPA said.

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