Each of the three parties cited by the county public health department for failing to get a permit to conduct groundwater testing in Hermosa Beach have been issued a $260 bill.
The offenders, the City of Hermosa Beach, J&H Drilling Co. of Santa Ana and Brycon, LLC of Costa Mesa, have until June 17th to pay for the "notice of violation and order" listed in the "Cost Recovery and Expense Billing Notice," according to documents from the county's Environmental Health, Drinking Water Program.
"We are happy that a fine was issued and that the county held them accountable," said Stacey Armato, Hermosa Beach resident. "However, it brings up the point that when there is a failure to adhere to health and safety regulations, a company operating a billion-dollar operation would not be impacted by the penalty assessed. In this case, the fine was $260. Who would be deterred from speeding if the fine was $0.10?”
E&B Natural Resources, the company with the contract to potentially drill for oil from the city yard if Hermosa Beach voters approve the project, said they "take full responsibility" for the oversight of the May 7th testing. The company hired Brycon to perform the soil and groundwater sampling. Tiffany Rau, E&B spokesperson, had earlier the same day said Brycon was responsible for securing the permit.
When contacted by Patch on May 15th, a person brought to the phone at J&H Drilling to answer questions about the lack of a permit, said, "You've got to call our contractor for that." He said he didn't have Brycon's phone number, said "Thank you," and quickly hung up.
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