A judge from the Superior Court of Humboldt County has sanctioned a settlement that mandates a cannabis grower to remit a penalty of $1.75 million due to environmental breaches. These infringements include unauthorized construction and diversion of water from onstream reservoirs, carried out without securing the required authorizations from the California Water Boards and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
This agreement is the outcome of a thorough inquiry into the activities of Joshua Sweet and his enterprises, The Hills LLC and Shadow Light Ranch LLC. The offenses encompass the ruin of wetland ecosystems and streambeds, transformation of oak woodlands for the purpose of cannabis farming, and non-compliance with the permit requisites laid down by the State Water Resources Control Board, the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the CDFW.
In this settlement, Joshua Sweet is obligated to restore the impacted areas by 2026. If he successfully does so, $1 million of the fine will be deferred. The restoration includes the dismantling of three unsanctioned reservoirs and the repair of affected stream channels and wetlands.
“Ensuring environmental stewardship among cannabis growers is essential for safeguarding California’s water resources and quality,” remarked Taro Murano, the program manager for the State Water Board’s Division of Water Rights cannabis enforcement. “Sweet decided to run his operations in defiance of environmental regulations. Consequently, he must rectify the ecological damage inflicted and face a substantial fine. Business advantages should not come at the cost of environmental degradation and legal non-compliance.”
Under the settlement terms, Joshua Sweet is compelled to distribute payments of $500,000 to the Division of Water Rights, $175,000 to the North Coast Water Board, and $75,000 to CDFW, spanning a five-year timeline. Besides the monetary fines, Sweet is also mandated to secure all essential permits, halt illegal water diversions and usage, limit future development on the property, and comply with all relevant regulations.
“This case is a testament to the persistent efforts by our committed team to restore streambeds, wetlands, and oak woodlands,” stated Nathaniel Arnold, the acting chief of law enforcement for CDFW. “The magnitude of this settlement underscores the severity of the violation and serves as a stern warning to those operating outside of the state’s cannabis cultivation regulations. Our natural resources must be treated with respect and care,” he added.
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Do you think he will have this cleaned up?