Musk's Boring Company accused of nearly 800 environmental violations
What's the story
Elon Musk's tunneling and infrastructure company, The Boring Company, has been accused of nearly 800 state environmental regulation violations by Nevada regulators, according to ProPublica. The allegations come even after the firm had agreed to comply with these regulations. The violations include unauthorized digging, dumping untreated water onto city streets, and failing to install silt fences, among others.
Continued infractions
Violations continue even after agreement with state regulators
The alleged violations by The Boring Company have continued even after it signed an agreement with state regulators in 2022. The deal was meant to ensure compliance with state laws. However, nearly 100 of the violations were reported after this agreement was signed, indicating a possible disregard for the terms set out by the company.
Fine reduction
Penalty reduced to $242,800 from over $3 million
The Boring Company could have faced over $3 million in fines for the alleged violations, but regulators decided to combine some of the violations, reducing the total penalty to $242,800. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection said this reduction "offers a reasonable penalty that will still serve to deter future non-compliance conduct."
Project hurdles
Expansion plans for Las Vegas tunnel system hit roadblock
The Boring Company's expansion plans for the Las Vegas tunnel system have also faced other problems. The project, which is expected to grow from a few miles today to 109km connecting 104 stations, saw operations on a tunnel being built to the Las Vegas airport suspended in September. This was after a worker suffered a "crushing injury" when they were pinned between two 4,000-foot pipes.