The Maryland attorney general and the state’s Department of the Environment have announced a settlement and consent decree with the owner of the Baltimore “candelabra” and its contractor over the spread of lead paint and chips debris from the broadcast tower into area neighborhoods.
Located on Baltimore’s “TV Hill,” the 997-foot tower is home to 97.9 WIYY(FM), 106.5 WWMX(FM), as well as FM translators on 97.5 for WLIF(HD4), 101.5 for WBAL(AM) and 106.1 for WLIF(HD2).
The agreement resolves a May 2023 lawsuit alleging that the tower’s owner, Television Tower, Inc., knew since 2012 that the tower contained lead-based paint, yet hired Skyline Tower Painting to repaint the structure. According to a release from the attorney general, Skyline was not accredited to provide lead paint abatement services in Maryland.
Television Tower is a joint venture of three television stations — WJZ(TV), WMAR(TV) and WBAL(TV) — which all have their antennas on the tower.
The complaint alleged that Skyline removed lead paint by scraping and forceful power washing without using controls or containment. The work, conducted in 2022, sent lead paint chips and debris into surrounding neighborhoods like Woodberry, as Radio World reported at the time.
State officials ordered TTI and Skyline to stop the project. While cleanup efforts were ongoing, residents found more paint flakes in the area. TTI has since replaced Skyline with a lead-accredited contractor and is using a specialized containment system to finish the job.
In December, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown had announced guilty pleas and a $100,000 fine against Skyline, according to The Baltimore Banner.
Under the $2.2 million settlement, TTI must complete all repainting using proper containment by June 30 and replace the elevator carriage by August 31. TTI is also required to conduct a final cleanup and inspection, followed by three months of monitoring community complaints.
As part of the decree, Skyline will permanently cease all lead abatement, painting and surface remediation work in Maryland.
According to The Baltimore Brew, a class action suit filed by area residents against TTI and Skyline is still pending.
Radio World has reached out to TTI for comment.
