Is Elon’s Boring Company Illegally Dumping Dirt Behind Vegas Strip?

Posted on: April 26, 2024, 11:53h. 

Last updated on: April 26, 2024, 01:44h.

Corey Levitan Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

A Clark County Commissioner has accused Elon Musk’s the Boring Company of illegally dumping wet dirt and other material dug out for its Vegas Loop underground tunnel project in a private Las Vegas lot just east of the Strip.

“Thanks to @OyVegas, I caught The Boring Company illegally dumping wet dirt at Commercial Center,” read a tweet on Thursday from Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom.

@OyVegas is the X handle of attorney and City Cast Las Vegas podcast co-host Dayvid Figler, who broke the news about the unknown dump site on Friday.

Clark County has confirmed the dumping. Whether or not it’s legal, however, is under investigation by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

According to City Cast Las Vegas, Tand Inc., a public works contractor, has a county permit and permission from the property owner to use the lot near the Commercial Center shopping plaza. However, its permit is for an unrelated drain improvement project on nearby Karen Avenue.

Public Works noticed a separate project being conducted on the open-air, fenced-in property near Maryland Parkway and Sahara Avenue, and discovered that Tand is allowing a Boring Company contractor to use the site.

The wet dirt is being stored there, according to City Cast Las Vegas, only until it can sufficiently dry out to be shipped elsewhere.

Tunnel Vision

In February, the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the Boring Company more than $100K for eight serious safety violations related to exposing workers to a “toxic sludge” of construction materials, dirt, and ground water that injured multiple workers when it made contact with their skin.

The Boring Company has appealed those OSHA findings and denies the allegations.

“The OSHA violations were brought to our attention by The Boring Company last summer,” read a statement issued at the time by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Boring’s partner in the Vegas Loop. “Those incidents were reviewed and addressed at that time. The LVCVA is committed to ensuring the health and safety of those employed on any LVCVA project. That expectation was emphasized with The Boring Company during last summer’s review.”

Last week, the Boring Company was also cited by the county for exposing support beams at the Las Vegas Monorail during grading maneuvers.