It seems Elon Musk is taking the axiom of "ask for forgiveness, not permission" way too far. Musk's The Boring Company is in hot water after being fined nearly half a million dollars by Nevada authorities.

What's happening?

KNTV Las Vegas reported that the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) fined The Boring Company $493,297.08 for illegally draining over 2,400 gallons of drilling fluids and bore mud into the Clark County Water Reclamation District's system. 

The company is currently working on a controversial underground Vegas Loop project. The wheels got turning after an anonymous tip in August claimed The Boring Company had been discharging untreated water to the District's facility since April.

Within days, inspectors caught staff in the act and demanded they stop after observing "an active illicit discharge of what appeared to be drilling fluids/spoils." When they met initial reticence to comply, they elevated the matter to a cease-and-desist while commissioning an investigation.

The Boring Company did relent formally soon thereafter, but the damage was done. The probe uncovered numerous violations of federal laws and regulations in addition to the mud, spoils, and waste improperly discharged at the facilities.

Why are The Boring Company's violations important?

Discharging waste into water treatment facilities without proper sanitation can endanger the safety of treated water and pose risks to wastewater workers. It also costs the public entities time and money to undo the damage.

For Elon Musk and The Boring Company, this cavalier attitude toward the environment and public safety is hardly new. Nevada regulators hit the company with fines nearing $250,000 recently for similar environmental violations on the Vegas Loop project, as well as worker safety violations.

In Texas, Musk is similarly pushing the boundaries of how much wastewater he can dump in the Colorado River as part of an emerging plan. Musk is even on record with his preference for disregarding the rules, calling environmental regulations "terrible" at a 2024 event, per Pro Publica.

"You have to get permission in advance, as opposed to, say, paying a penalty if you do something wrong, which I think would be much more effective," Musk purportedly explained. 

What's being done about The Boring Company's violations?

Ideally, steep fines start to change Musk and The Boring Company's philosophy when it comes to ignoring environmental rules and just waiting to get caught. If The Boring Company doesn't pay up in time, regulators can up the ante with larger penalties.

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Just as in this case, whistleblowers are critical to protecting the environment, public safety, and worker health. Considering The Boring Company was able to get away with illegal discharges for months, it's clear that regulators and whistleblowers are needed to crack down on illicit acts.

Local residents can also take action to push back on The Boring Company being awarded major projects, given its track record of overpromising and underdelivering while drawing major fines for improprieties.

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