Widespread environmental management problems at 73 manufactured home communities led to the imposition of a $1,339,000 penalty for violating state and federal clean water and waste treatment statutes. All the communities are connected to Frank Perano of Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, who has signed a consent decree to pay, pending court approval and a 30-day public comment period. The result of a multi-year investigation found 5,200 violations of state and EPA drinking water and sewage standards in 45 communities in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The various corporations of Perano have been cooperative, according to investigators, and have agreed to the required upgrades. As MSNBC tells MHProNews, a third-party environmental consultant will periodically perform quality control audits at the communities to assure compliance.

(Photo credit: Localism–Melody Lakes Country Cub Estates, one of the communities affected))