New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement with Salvatore Cascino and his company, Ten Mile River, LLC, for illegal waste dumping in Dutchess County. Cascino was ordered to pay $100,000 for using his property along the Ten Mile River to dump waste near sensitive freshwater wetlands. A previous settlement in 2019 required him to clean up the site and restore the wetlands, but a 2024 inspection revealed non-compliance.
Dutchess County Supreme Court Judge Christi Acker has now mandated that Cascino complete the cleanup and repair environmental damage. If he fails to meet the schedule, an additional penalty of $99,200 will be imposed.
Attorney General James stated, “Salvatore Cascino and his company broke the law and harmed some of our state’s most valuable natural areas.” She emphasized collaboration with DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton in holding violators accountable. Commissioner Lefton remarked on the long-term environmental damage caused by illegal dumping in wetland areas.
The New York Freshwater Wetlands Act protects these areas by prohibiting activities such as removing vegetation or placing fill without a permit from DEC. The OAG’s 2019 settlement with Cascino required a cleanup plan approved by DEC. Despite approval in 2022, inspections showed little progress by 2024, prompting further legal action.
The recent agreement requires Cascino to clean up under DEC oversight and includes financial penalties for non-compliance. The case was managed by Senior Enforcement Counsel Andrew J. Gershon and Assistant Attorney General Max Shterngel under Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Lemuel Srolovic.
