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10/24/2024
WT Staff
 Knowledge of an environmental crime? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email info@wtla.us
October 24, 2024 333 pm CDT
CWA CrimeBox
Environmental Crimes Historic Conviction: Fiscal Year 2010; Case ID# CR_1919 (California)
Ship Pilot sent to prison, ships owner fined 10 million for collision with San Francisco Bay Bridge tower, more than 2000 migratory birds wiped out including endangered pelicans and murrelets
One of 72 Clean Water Act Criminal Prosecutions in the State of California (from 1989-2023)
The defendants in this case are the pilot of marine vessel COSCO Busan and the ship's owner, a management company based in Hong Kong. The defendants were charged with negligent violation of the Clean Water Act for an incident that caused the release of 53 thousand gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. The collision and resulting oil spill caused the death of more than 2000 migratory birds, including federally protected endangered species Brown Pelicans, federally protected threatened species marbled murrelets, listed as endangered under California law, and western grebes.
The ship pilot defendant plead guilty to the CWA charge, sentenced to a term behind bars and a year of supervision during which time the defendant may not serve as a ship pilot or ship captain (Master). The ship's owner plead guilty to the Clean Water Act charge and for lying to the investigators. The corporate defendant was sentenced to a fine of $10 million dollars and ordered to upgrade the compliance program of the fleet.
Prison term: 10 months; Federal Fines: $10,000,000; Probation: 12 months
CWA CrimeBox briefs are compiled from EPA Criminal Enforcement records.
See last week's CrimeBox here.
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