MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Wednesday announced a judgment against a Milwaukee property owner who allegedly violated state environmental laws.
Van Hollen's office obtained the judgment in an environmental lawsuit in Milwaukee County Circuit Court against Fadil Becirovski.
Becirovski allegedly violated environmental laws that required him to test and restore the environment following the removal of an underground gasoline storage tank on his property that discharged petroleum.
State environmental laws to test the environment are meant to protect the state's waters from harm due to contamination from petroleum and other liquids.
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services tested the soil and found it was contaminated. Becirovski allegedly refused to cooperate with DSPS by remedying the violations and subsequently failed to cooperate with Van Hollen's office.
After litigation began, Becirovski agreed to hire an environmental consultant, test the site, fix any residual contamination and pay $5,000 worth of surcharges, costs and forfeitures.
The DSPS said the degree and extent of contamination is unknown.
The department said the site must be tested and any contamination should be removed. Soil contaminated with petroleum products can contaminate groundwater flowing through it and petroleum vapors can seep into nearby homes through the basement.