For More Information Contact:
Bill Cosh
608/266-1221
GREENFIELD — The State of Wisconsin, by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), has reached a settlement with Indus Hotels, LLC (Indus) and Amana Hospitality, LLC (Amana) of Greenfield for a series of civil environmental violations during the 2008 renovation of the Ramada Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Convention Center.
According to the complaint, filed at the request of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in Milwaukee County, Indus owns the Ramada and formed Amana to manage it. In January 2008, Indus began renovating the Ramada, using Amana as a general contractor. During a February 2008 inspection, the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) found that asbestos-containing ceiling material had been scraped and partially removed by unlicensed and untrained workers who were not using protective clothing, water or containment to limit asbestos emissions during the removal and disposal of asbestos material.
During a May 2008 inspection, DNS found that asbestos-containing panels had been improperly removed without safeguards for the workers. Based on DNS’s inspections and DNR’s referral, DOJ filed a complaint alleging that the defendants illegally failed to thoroughly inspect the Ramada for asbestos prior to commencement of renovation, failed to notify DNR prior to commencement of renovation activity, failed to remove all asbestos prior to renovation activity that disturbs it, failed to wet that asbestos as it is being disturbed and removed, and failed to have trained personnel on site during the removal of the asbestos.
On April 5, 2011, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge John Siefert accepted the parties’ agreement and ordered Indus and Amana to pay forfeitures, costs and surcharges totaling $80,000. Assistant Attorney General Steven Tinker represented the State in this case.
