Las Vegas company fined $550,000 for environmental violations

Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999 | 10:56 a.m.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- A St. Louis area casino has agreed to pay $550,000 to settle claims it illegally dumped fill material into the Missouri River.

Station Casino St. Charles Inc. had been accused of violating a dredging permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers. The civil complaint was prepared by the Justice Department and filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

The casino is owned by Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas.

In its complaint, the government said the casino dumped rock, soil and other fill debris into the river between August 1998 and January 1999 without the proper permit. The debris altered the navigable river channel, the complaint said.

The consent decree meant to settle the case was signed Dec. 9 by lawyers in the case and Tony Raymon, the casino's general manager. It was approved last Thursday.

In addition to paying the civil penalty, the casino agreed to carry out no more dumpings in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.