Statement from the New York State Department of Health on $1 Million in Fines Assessed to the Illegal Maximum Power Park Mud and Music Fest on July 19-21 in Poland, NY

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 31, 2019) The New York State Department of Health has notified the promoter of the Maximum Power Park Mud and Music Fest that the unpermitted, illegal event held on July 19-21, 2019 in Poland, NY was found to be in violation of 12 Public Health Law and/or Health Department Regulations. The Department is pursuing a fine of $1 million against the event's organizer, Peter Lockwood, of Poland, NY.

On July 16, the Department of Health notified Mr. Lockwood that the Maximum Power Park Mud and Music Fest had been denied a Mass Gathering Permit required for an event with projected attendance of 5,000 or more. The charges against Mr. Lockwood reflect a blatant disregard for health and safety and include holding the event without a permit even after the Department urged the event to be canceled, failure to provide adequate potable water, providing insufficient security, presence of a fire hazard including overcrowding of campers with gasoline stored under units, multiple people observed driving ATVs without helmets and while drinking alcoholic beverages, discharging wastewater into the ground creating an unapproved leach field, and that there was no on-site emergency healthcare facility with required staffing and equipment.

Staff of the Health Department monitored the event and performed daily inspections throughout the weekend to mitigate public health and safety concerns during the event, including providing emergency medical services in the absence of services being provided by the promoter, sanitizing the water tanker and addressing several dangerous situations that threatened the health and safety of patrons.