The Cayuga County Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee has voted to pay a $5,000 penalty for violations of New York Department of Labor code provisions for illegal asbestos removal at the Board of Elections building in 2006. Now the issue must go before the full Legislature to determine whether the penalty will be accepted. The county has been charged with failing to use a licensed asbestos removal professional, failing to perform air tests and failing to properly clean the work area. The supervisor on the project pleaded guilty in 2007 to violations of the Clean Indoor Act and will be sentenced next month. The county has already agreed to pay $10,000 in fines for citations by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Once the Department of Labor penalty is resolved, the court will still face a number of lawsuits from county employees and members of the public who allege they were exposed to asbestos. Criminal changes against the county are not expected.
For the full story, go to http://www.auburnpub.com
