*True cases of environmental criminals and other violators of environmental laws, regulations and statutes from real court cases
The EPA and its federal, state and local law enforcement partners investigate and prosecute significant and egregious violations of environmental laws. These investigations involve, but are not limited to, the illegal disposal of hazardous waste; the illegal discharge of pollutants to a water of the United States; the illegal importation of certain restricted or regulated chemicals into the United States; tampering with a drinking water supply; mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering relating to environmental criminal activities.
People often ask us, "It seems like companies get away with polluting all the time, just look at Exxon and the Valdez!" While it may be true that some companies treat the environment, your community's well-being and your health like a doormat and act as though their crimes are nothing more than a public relations expense; individuals and companies are being caught all the time. And the penalties are severe! Follow Detective Joe Friday and read on to learn about the appalling gall of these jerks and their crimes.
It is EHSO's opinion that our society's obsession with money and instant wealth, combined with a generally apathetic public, and politicians more concerned with polls than pollution is leading to an increase in pollution and deliberate polluters. If you suspect a persistent polluter in your area, email us (or click here to use the EPA's report a violator form ) for instructions to assist the EPA in catching him! To search a company's compliance history, click here!
In reverse chronological order:
(11/19/2003) ChevronTexaco agrees to pay EPA $195,000 to resolve Clean Water Act penalties - SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled with ChevronTexaco Corporation for $195,000 to resolve penalties for federal Clean Water Act violations at a former Estero Bay, Calif. tank farm and terminal.
(10/06/2003) Early Clean-up Agreement Reached for Portland Harbor - The Northwest office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Port of Portland have formalized an agreement for the Port to conduct extensive assessment and cleanup of decades of contamination at Terminal 4 in Portland Harbor.
(05/09/2003) EPA, Unocal Settle Clean Water Act Violations Company Agrees to $370,000 Penalty - The Seattle office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has agreed to settlement terms with the Union Oil Company of California or "Unocal" for violations of the Clean Water Act at 11 of the company's oil and gas drilling facilities in Cook Inlet in Alaska.
| (04/16/2003) EPA Cites Ventura Foods for Chemical Reporting Violations; Proposes $51,568 Fine - CHICAGO - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has filed an administrative complaint against Ventura Foods LLC, of Albert Lea, Minn., for failure to maintain required hazardous chemical storage records. EPA has proposed a $51,568 fine. |
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| (04/15/2003) Milltown Man Reaches Agreement with EPA; Will Restore Wetlands along Bone Lake, Pay $40,000 Fine - CHICAGO - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached agreement with Anthony Forster, Milltown, Wis., on alleged wetlands violations. Forster will pay a $40,000 penalty and restore a buffer strip of wetlands along Bone Lake in Milltown. |
| (04/02/2003) EPA Cites ISG Indiana Harbor for Clean-Air Violations - CHICAGO -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has cited ISG Indiana Harbor Inc. for alleged clean-air violations at the company's steel pickling plant, 3001 Dickey Road, East Chicago, Ind. |
| (04/24/2003) Taiwanese Company and Ship Engineer Plead Guilty in Ocean Dumping Case - On April 16 in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Ta Tong Marine Co., Ltd., of Taiwan, pled guilty to falsifying records to conceal the intentional dumping of oil into the Pacific Ocean. |
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| (04/10/2003) Cowboy Oil in Pocatello Receives $118,291 Complaint For Underground Storage Tank Violations - Cowboy Oil, a Pocatello-based gasoline retailer and distributor, has been issued an Administrative Complaint and Compliance Order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for alleged federal underground storage tank violations. The Complaint carries a proposed penalty of $118,291. |
| (04/03/2003) EPA Levies $76,000 Penalty Against Dept. of Energy for Hanford Cleanup Failure - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it is penalizing the Department of Energy $76,900 for failing to begin the removal of nearly 50 cubic meters of radioactive sludge from the Hanford 100 K East Basin. |
(02/27/2003) Eleven Companies Voluntarily Reported and Corrected Environmental Violations - $1.4 Million in Penalties Waived - PHILADELPHIA -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is waiving a total of $ 1,485,892 in potential penalties against eleven companies in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia which voluntarily disclosed their own environmental violations.