Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., is the first national company that the federal government has taken an enforcemnt action against for multi-state violations of the storm water regulations. Also included in the action are 10 of the store's contractors.

The settlement resolves violations of storm water requirements under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) by Wal-Mart and its contractors. The alleged violations occurred at 17 Wal-Mart stores' construction sites in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Massachusetts.

The settlement commits Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., to a comprehensive environmental management plan (valued at $4.5 million) to increase compliance at each of the store's construction sites nationwide through additional inspections, training, and recordkeeping, and to paying a $1 million penalty.

The proposed Consent Decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and Court approval.

For additional information, contact:

Elyse DiBiagio-Wood
U.S. EPA
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (2243A)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 564-8187
dibiagio-wood.elyse@epa.gov