EPA Slaps Lonestar Cell MTN with US$15K Fine Over Noise Pollution Violations

Monrovia, Liberia: The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia has taken a bold stance against environmental negligence with the imposition of a fine of US$15,000 against telecommunications giant Lonestar Cell MTN for breaching noise pollution regulations.

The fine follows growing outcry from residents in the vicinity of the company’s generator site at its Congo Town Headquarters.

The community dwellers are alarmed over the constant noise that has disrupted their normal living routine. After a thorough investigation, the EPA found that Lonestar Cell MTN failed to implement significant environmental safeguards previously recommended by the agency.

At a Friday, May 1, 2025, press conference, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo cited Section 42 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia as the legal basis for the penalty.

The EPA boss disclosed that although the entity had earlier issued a ten-day ultimatum on April 8, 2025, to address community dwellers' concerns, follow-up checks between April 7 and 24, 2025, established that the company failed to remedy the situation.

“Despite claims of full compliance, our investigation shows that Lonestar Cell MTN relocated a generator without approval, did not install effective silencers, and failed to meet required exhaust stack heights,” Dr. Yarkpawolo revealed.

Dr. Yarkpawolo noted that the inbuilt silencers on the GSM company generators were insufficient to curb the noise, and there was no proof the company provided personal protective equipment to staff working in or around the generator site.

Worse of all, the EPA boss disclosed that the telecommunication operator failed to submit a proper relocation plan, a key condition of the EPA’s earlier directive.

As part of its enforcement action, the EPA is demanding that Lonestar Cell MTN pay the US$15k as a fine for the violation within 72 hours through the Liberia Revenue Authority. The EPA has provided that company with a two-week deadline to meet all outstanding environmental requirements.

Dr. Yarkpawolo warned that failure to comply may trigger additional penalties, including possible shutdown of the generator operations.

He called on all companies operating in Liberia to put environmental compliance at the forefront and prioritize the well-being of surrounding communities.

“This is a clear message,” he said. “No company is above the law. We will continue to enforce regulations to protect the environment and public health.”