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Friday, March 29, 2024

Massachusetts race track owner and builder to pay $250K for allegations of damaging protected wetlands

Wetlands

Palmer Motorsports Park and J. Read Corp., the owner and builder of a sports car race track in Massachusetts, will pay the state $250,000 for allegedly damaging protected wetlands and wildlife habitats, said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey | Shutterstock

BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Palmer Motorsports Park and J. Read Corp., the owner and builder of a sports car race track in Massachusetts, will pay the state $250,000 to settle allegations that they damaged protected wetlands and wildlife habitats, said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Aug. 20.

Palmer Motorsports Park and J. Read Corp. will also pay $100,000 each in order to purchase 200 acres of land that borders the project site. The land will then be given to the state and will be conserved as a wildlife habitat and open space, Healey said.

About 309 acres of land that surrounds the track will be granted to the Department of Fish and Game as a permanent conservation in order to protect the remaining natural resources on the property. Areas of the project site that were not damaged beyond repair will be restored, Healey said.

“Palmer Motorsports and J. Read showed complete disregard for our environmental laws and regulations when they constructed this race track in a manner that destroyed some of our wetland and habitat resources and damaged others,” Healey said. “These are serious violations and our office will work to ensure that the laws put in place to protect our environment and the public are enforced.”

Healey's office filed a lawsuit against the owner and builder of the race track, accusing them of violating the state Wetlands Protection Act, Clean Waters Act, the state Endangered Species Act and other regulations when the tract was under construction.

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