Water pollution tops federal criminal environmental offences list

but air pollution offences rank highest by severity.

Federal US EPA ranked 24 convicted defendants in 20 criminal environmental cases.

16 out of 24 of these defendants were prosecuted for criminal water pollution offences.

Just three offences on the list are under the Clean Air Act.

Criminal air pollution offences top the overall list by fine size, however.

 

Source, EPA, Washington HQ, February 2007.

Research, analysis: Alistair Siddons.

Abbreviations: 'water pollution'=Clean Water Act; 'air pollution'=Clean Air Act; RCRA=Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

© GeorgeBurba - FOTOLIA

Criminal water and air offences by fine size 

1. Refrigeration USA.  Air pollution. Fined $37.4 million in August 1997

2. Louisiana Pacific Corporation. Air pollution.  Fined $36.5 million in May 1998

3. Bunker Group Puerto Rico. Water pollution.  Fined $25 million in October 1996

4. Bunker Group, Inc. Water pollution. Fined $25 million in October 1996

5. New England Marine Services. Water pollution.  Fined $25 million in October 1996

6. Exxon Shipping Company. Water pollution. Fined $20 million plus $50 million ordered in restitution in October 1991

7. Summitville Consolidated Mining Company, Inc. Water pollution.  Fined $20 million in August 1996

8. Rockwell International Corporation. RCRA. Fined $18.5 million in June 1992

9. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.  Water pollution. Fined  $18 million in October 1999

10. Rhodia Inc. RCRA. Fined $16.5 million in April 2004, plus $1.8 million in restitution

11. Craven Laboratories Inc. False statement - lab fraud. Fined $15.45 million in February 1994

12. Iroquois Gas Transmission System. Water pollution. Fined $15 million in May 1996

13. Equilon Pipeline. Water pollution. Fined $15 million in June 2003

14. Central Industries, Inc. Water pollution.  Fined $13.5 million in November 2000, plus $1 million in restitution

15. Koch Industries, Inc. Air pollution.  Fined $10 million in April 2001

16. Bouchard Transportation co. Water pollution. Fined $10 million in November 2004

17. Motiva Corp. Water pollution. Fined $10 million in March 2005

18. Intertek Testing Service Environmental Labs. Water - lab fraud. Fined $9,000 plus $8.7 million in restitution 

19. Carnival Cruise Lines AKA CCL. Water - false statement. Fined $9 million in April 2002 

20. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Water pollution. $9 million in Septebmer 1998

21. American Airlines. RCRA. $8 million in December 1999

22. Protex Inudstries, Inc. RCRA. $7.6 million in March 1998

23. Olympic Pipeline Company. Water pollution. $6 million in June 2003

24. Exxon Corporation. Water pollution. $5 million in October 1991, plus $50 million in restitution