BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Maryland officials have reached a $2.2 million settlement with the owner of a Baltimore broadcast tower and its contractor after lead paint debris contaminated nearby neighborhoods, including parks, playgrounds, and daycare centers.
Attorney General Anthony Brown and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Serena McIlwain announced the agreement Thursday, resolving a civil lawsuit tied to a 2022 tower repainting project that spread hazardous lead paint chips across parts of the city.
The tower, owned by Television Tower, Inc. (TTI), stands roughly 1,000 feet tall near the 3700 block of Malden Avenue.
According to the lawsuit, TTI hired Skyline Tower Painting, Inc. to repaint the tower despite knowing it contained lead-based paint.
Skyline was not certified to perform lead abatement work in Maryland.
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State officials said the contractor removed paint using scraping and high-pressure washing without proper containment, allowing debris to travel up to half a mile into surrounding communities, including Woodberry.
Our expectation is clear: work that risks public health must be done safely and in full compliance with the law. That did not happen here,” said Attorney General Brown, via press release. “This settlement reflects our values—accountability, restoration, and a firm standard that environmental safety is not optional. We will enforce that standard.
The case also led to criminal charges, with Skyline and its principal pleading guilty to environmental violations.
Lead exposure is especially dangerous for young children, potentially causing irreversible damage to brain development and the nervous system.
Environmental officials warned the contamination can also affect soil, water, and wildlife.
Although work on the tower was halted in 2022 and cleanup efforts began, officials say additional paint flakes have been found due to unstabilized paint releasing from the tower.
This settlement is about accountability and about protecting people. No family should have to worry that something as basic as playing outside could put their child at risk,” said Governor Wes Moore, via press release. “We are committed to making this right—by cleaning up these neighborhoods, enforcing the law, and making sure this never happens again.
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TTI has since hired a certified contractor to complete the project using proper containment systems.
Under the settlement filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, TTI must finish repainting the tower by June 30, 2026, and complete additional repairs by the end of August.
The company is also required to conduct a final cleanup of surrounding areas, monitor for lingering contamination, and perform new soil testing to ensure lead levels have not increased.
Skyline, meanwhile, is permanently barred from performing lead abatement or similar work in Maryland and is prohibited from operating or controlling any such business in the state.
This settlement and consent decree are about addressing harm done to our some of our youngest, most vulnerable residents at places they should be safe: parks, playgrounds, and daycares,” said Mayor Brandon Scott, via press release. “For decades, the City has required property owners to mitigate the harm associated with lead paint, and we are committed to holding companies that fail to do so accountable. I am grateful to the Attorney General and all of the State and City partners who worked together to reach this outcome.
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