US Edition
Philadelphia’s schools accused of failing to properly inspect asbestos in buildings
- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed charges against the School District of Philadelphia for failing to inspect and report damaged asbestos in a timely manner, marking it the first criminal charge under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act against a school district in the U.S.
- The School District of Philadelphia entered a deferred prosecution agreement as a result of a five-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office, DOJ, and Environmental Protection Agency, showing extensive asbestos contamination in city schools.
- Most of the 339 buildings in the district are old, with nearly 300 known to contain asbestos. Lapses in inspections and repairs were identified between 2015 and 2023.
- District spokesperson Monique Braxton confirmed that the district now meets inspection requirements and is improving its asbestos management plan, including a significant increase in the budget for environmental management, rising from $10.2 million in FY 2021 to $55.7 million in FY 2025.
39 Articles
39 Articles
Philly school district is first in U.S. to face criminal charges for violating asbestos regulations
The School District of Philadelphia is facing criminal charges for allegedly failing to conduct timely inspections at seven school buildings between June 2018 and April 2023. Under a deferred prosecution agreement, the district may avoid sanctions if it complies with the regulations for the next five years.
Hastings Tribune
InquirerAfter a 5-year secret probe, Philly is the first district in the country to be criminally charged with environmental violations
PHILADELPHIA — A secret, sweeping five-year probe of the Philadelphia School District’s compliance with federal asbestos regulations entered a new phase Thursday as the school board signed off on a deferred prosecution agreement to avoid criminal charges.
Philadelphia school district faces ‘first-of-its-kind’ asbestos prosecution
Prosecutors have filed criminal charges against the School District of Philadelphia, accusing it of repeatedly failing to inspect, report, and remediate damaged asbestos in multiple school buildings. The case stems from a five-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. Under federal law, school districts must i…
Criminal charges filed against School District of Philadelphia, alleges asbestos violations
PHILADELPHIA (WPHL) -- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed criminal charges Thursday against the School District of Philadelphia. Prosecutors allege violations of legal requirements to promptly inspect, remediate, and report damaged asbestos in multiple schools. The United States and the School District of Philadelphia have entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), which means the school district …
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