Elon Musk company accused of nearly 800 environmental violations [View all]
Source: Salon/Propublica
Published October 12, 2025 6:00AM (EDT)
Nevada state regulators have accused Elon Musks Boring Co. of violating environmental regulations nearly 800 times in the last two years as it digs a sprawling tunnel network beneath Las Vegas for its Tesla-powered people mover.
The companys alleged violations include starting to dig without approval, releasing untreated water onto city streets and spilling muck from its trucks, according to a new document obtained by City Cast Las Vegas and ProPublica.
The Sept. 22 cease-and-desist letter from the state Bureau of Water Pollution Control alleged repeated violations of a settlement agreement that the company had entered into after being fined five years ago for discharging groundwater into storm drains without a permit.
That agreement, signed by a Boring executive in 2022, was intended to compel the company to comply with state water pollution laws. Instead, state inspectors documented nearly 100 alleged new violations of the agreement. The letter also accuses the company of failing to hire an independent environmental manager to regularly inspect its construction sites. State regulators counted 689 missed inspections. The Boring Co. is disputing the violation letter, a state spokesperson said.
Read more: https://www.salon.com/2025/10/12/elon-musk-company-accused-of-nearly-800-environmental-violations_partner/