The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia has imposed a fine of fifteen thousand United States dollars (US$15,000) on Lonestar Cell MTN for failing to comply with national environmental noise pollution standards. The sanction follows persistent complaints from residents living near the company’s generator installation site in Monrovia.
Speaking at a press conference Friday in the EPA’s conference room at Mamba Point, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo said the penalty was issued under Section 42 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia. He noted that the company did not fully implement mitigation measures previously recommended by the agency to address environmental concerns.
“On April 8, 2025, the EPA released a public statement granting Lonestar Cell MTN a ten-day window to resolve the issues raised by nearby residents,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said. “The company responded on April 18, claiming full compliance and stating that it had settled matters with the primary complainant. However, our investigation, which ran from April 7 to 24, revealed a different reality.”
According to him, the investigation discovered that the company had relocated one of its generators without seeking EPA approval—an unauthorized action in violation of environmental regulations.
He further disclosed that noise quality assessments conducted at the site showed that the remaining generators were producing sound levels far above the EPA’s permissible limit. “Both daytime and nighttime readings peaked at 84.6 decibels,” Dr. Yarkpawolo stated, “which exceeds the maximum allowable limit of 60 decibels for mixed residential and industrial zones.”
In addition to the excessive noise, the EPA’s findings revealed that Lonestar Cell MTN failed to install adequate silencers on its generators. The existing inbuilt silencers were described as insufficient. Moreover, the company did not extend its exhaust stacks to the required height of 25 feet, making the current setup non-compliant with EPA standards.
Dr. Yarkpawolo also noted that there was no evidence that the company provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to its generator operators or on-site security staff. Furthermore, Lonestar Cell MTN failed to submit a formal relocation plan, another requirement under EPA guidelines.
As a result, the EPA has ordered the telecommunications company to pay the US$15,000 fine within 72 hours into a designated government account at the Liberia Revenue Authority. The company must also fully implement all outstanding mitigation measures within two weeks.
The EPA head emphasized that continued noncompliance could result in further enforcement actions, including additional fines or the complete shutdown of the generator facility.
Dr. Yarkpawolo used the occasion to caution all businesses operating in Liberia to take environmental regulations seriously and prioritize the health and well-being of communities affected by their operations.
“Environmental protection is not negotiable,” he stressed. “We are committed to ensuring that all corporate actors operate within the framework of our environmental laws for the good of the public.”
