Coakley
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a court order against the owner of the Pocasset Mobile Home Park in Bourne on Wednesday after he allegedly failed to upgrade a deteriorating septic system.
Under the terms of a court order, Charles W. Austin must pay $250,000 in civil penalties and fund $2,767,883 to fund the construction of a new wastewater treatment facility and sewage collection system.
"The park owner's refusal to comply with the terms of the court's preliminary injunction put the health of the residents and the environment at risk," Coakley said. "We are very pleased with the court's decision to order him to pay $250,000 in civil penalties and more than $2 million for the construction of a new sewage treatment system."
Because of Austin's alleged failure to comply with court orders, there have been multiple sewage overflows from the septic system on the property to the yards of nearby residents. The overflows put the safety and health of the neighbors at risk of being exposed to untreated sewage.
The Pocasset Mobile Home Park has been operated and managed by a court-appointed receiver since February 2011 due to Austin's alleged refusal to pump and maintain the septic system.
The court entered a final judgment against Austin requiring him to build a new sewage treatment system this month after a request by Coakley's office in June.