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7/17/2024
WT Staff
 CWA CrimeBox
Environmental Crimes Historic Conviction: Fiscal Year 2007; Case ID# CR_1273(California)
Ship crew discharging oil instructed not to cooperate with investigation
July 17, 2024 920 am CDT
One of 72 Clean Water Act Criminal Prosecutions in the State of California (from 1989-2023)
The defendant in this case is a shipping company operating a vessel on the Pacific seaboard. The ship was found discharging oil direct to the Pacific Ocean via a "pirate" pipe, rather than separating the oil and water and disposing of the oil safely and legally. The shipping company was charged with a single count violation of the US Clean Water Act for the deliberate discharge of oil, but it did not end there.
Federal district court was presented with a bill of information indicating the defendant instructed the vessel's crew not to cooperate with the EPA investigation. An additional charge, obstruction of justice stuck as the defendant plead guilty to both and was sentenced accordingly. The defendant left the courthouse short half a million dollars for federal fines, subject to three years of probation to closely monitor future compliance.
Federal Fine: $500,000; Special Assessment: $525 Probation: 36 months
CWA CrimeBox briefs are compiled from EPA Criminal Enforcement records.
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