UPDATE Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Serena McIlwain announced they have filed a lawsuit against the owner of several towers on Baltimore’s Television Hill, and vendor Skyline Tower Painting, for alleged violations of state law that led to lead paint chips raining down on the surrounding communities.
The complaint was filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court. It names as defendants Television Tower Inc. (TTI), an entity formed by Baltimore television broadcasting companies WJZ-TV, WBAL-TV, and WMAR-TV, and Skyline Tower Painting Inc. It alleges that in May 2022, TTI, knowing the guyed 1,000-foot candelabra tower for the three stations contained lead-based paint, hired Skyline, which was not accredited to provide lead abatement services in Maryland, to repaint the tower.
Skyline removed lead paint from the tower by scraping and hydroblasting with minimal controls, the complaint alleges. The force of the hydroblasting and high winds at the height of the tower caused the spread of lead paint dust and chips to spread as far as half a mile, an area that includes underserved communities, according to the filing.
MDE asked the court to enter injunctions directing the defendants to: stabilize and contain the tower to prevent additional paint chips from being released; continue to recover visible lead paint chips in at least a half-mile radius; use properly accredited workers employing proper work practices to complete the work on the tower; and continue with outreach and notifications to the affected communities.
The complaint seeks financial penalties of up to $25,000 per day for lead accreditation, lead abatement performance and hazardous waste violations and up to $10,000 per day for solid waste, open dumping and nuisance creation violations.
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