Connecticut environmental regulators say they levied a combined $70,000 penalty against a Windsor farmer for lacing hot dogs with a restricted pesticide he meant to kill raccoons as well as the Massachusetts firm that supplied him the product.
The state Department of Environmental Protection arrested William Bednarz, owner of Bednarz Farm, last April on criminal charges he used a pesticide to kill raccoons he suspected of damaging his corn crop.
One of two dogs died after eating the poisoned meat, authorities said. Bednarz made restitution to the dog owners.
In addition, Valley Green Inc. of Holyoke, Mass., admitted selling pesticide products at least 54 times to uncertified applicators, including Bednarz, and then withholding sales records from state inspectors, the DEP said.
Under the settlement, Valley Green must pay Connecticut $55,000, which includes a $13,750 civil penalty. The balance will pay the state to study bed bug resistance to insecticides ($9,000) and the rest for a habitat restoration project at Milford’s Charles Island nature preserve.
Bednarz agreed to pay $15,000 for habitat restoration at DEP’s Suffield Wildlife Management Area and to sponsor ongoing research at the University of Connecticut’s turf science program.
He also submitted to a two-year ban on applying to become certified to use restricted pesticides, the agency said.
