Duck farm owner fined for multiple violations

State environmental officials are asking the owners of a Moriches duck farm to pay a $776,000 penalty, citing multiple wetlands violations, excessive pollution and delay in upgrading a treatment facility.

Department of Environmental Conservation officials said that the owners of Jurgielewicz Duck Farm have lapsed in a number of areas, including exceeding discharge limits of its permit, adding that the farm is one of several polluters of Forge River.

Owner Benjamin Jurgielewicz could not be reached.

The fine comes nearly five years after the Barnard Road farm's owners pleaded guilty to violating pollution discharge regulations.