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10h ago

Nevada Alleges Nearly 800 Environmental Violations by The Boring Company on Las Vegas Loop

Regulators proposed a $242,800 penalty, signaling possible construction shutdown if violations persist.

The Nevada Independent Logo
Elon Musk, co-founder and chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., speaks during an unveiling event for the Boring Company Hawthorne test tunnel in Hawthorne, south of Los Angeles, California on December 18, 2018. - Musk explained that the snail moves 14 times faster than a tunnel-digging machine. On Tuesday night December 18, 2018, Boring Co. officially opened the Hawthorne tunnel, a preview of Elon Musk's larger vision to ease L.A. traffic. (Photo by Robyn Beck / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
A Tesla car drives through a tunnel in the Central Station during a media preview of the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop on April 9, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Overview

  • A Sept. 22 cease-and-desist letter from the state Bureau of Water Pollution Control details alleged unapproved digging, untreated water discharges, and muck spills tied to the tunnel project.
  • Inspectors counted 689 missed inspections and nearly 100 new breaches of a 2022 settlement, including a failure to hire an independent environmental manager.
  • The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection reduced potential fines exceeding $3 million to $242,800, with payment deferred until dispute resolution and the option to order work to cease preserved.
  • The Boring Company is disputing the allegations, and the company did not respond to requests for comment.
  • The privately funded Loop has grown to a planned 68 miles and 104 stations, has drawn prior Nevada OSHA fines exceeding $112,000 for worker-safety issues, and faces questions over whether modest penalties deter violations as local tourism officials defend oversight.