NC fines center that hosted 2018 World Equestrian Games over water quality

POLK COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina equestrian center that played host to the FEI World Equestrian Games last year has been fined for water quality violations.

[ALSO READ: First week of World Equestrian Games a 'rollercoaster ride']

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports the state Department of Environmental Quality issued a civil penalty of $64,437 to the managers of the Tryon International Equestrian Center.

The 1,600-acre facility stepped in as the host of the games when the original site in Canada pulled out, and constructed the facilities needed to accommodate the events in less than half the normal time. The haste, coupled with excessive rainfall, led to water pollution violations, with sediment polluting nearby creeks.

The center's chief operating officer, Sharon Decker, says they're working to remediate the pollution violations and have a person to monitor the streams daily.

She says the center plans to appeal the fine.

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Associated Press