Domaine Chandon Pays Up For Spilling Wine Waste Into Napa River
Napa Valley sparkling wine company Domaine Chandon has been fined around $24,000 for spilling wine waste into the Napa River last year. According to court documents and records, the two incidents, which occurred due to clogged plumbing lines, led to the spilling of approximately 1,300 gallons of waste into state waters.
The Napa County District Attorney's Office filed a civil complaint against the company on March 15 and, nearly two weeks later, agreed upon a stipulation signed by Napa County Superior Court Judge Rodney Stone that the company would pay $24,000 to be distributed between different agencies, Wine Business reported. The payments will be distributed to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Napa County Fish and Game, Napa County District Attorney's Office, and the Napa County Regional Parks and Open Space District. An additional payment is to be made for "investigative costs."
The company says it accepts the judgment and will work with "relevant agencies" to prevent future incidents. In addition to training employees on spill-prevention, the company is also required to have a third party inspect its wastewater lines and pump systems bi-annually.