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DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE COMPANY AND OWNER PLEAD GUILTY IN WATER CASEFOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1999 Gregg’s Diesel Service Inc. (Gregg’s Diesel), of Anacortes, Wash., and Wayne Gregg, the owner of Gregg’s Diesel, pleaded guilty on June 11 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle to violating the Clean Water Act. The company cleans and repairs marine and industrial diesel engines. Gregg and his business illegally disposed of wastewater containing wastes from the company’s engine parts cleaner by releasing it into the city of Anacortes, storm drain system which flows into Fidalgo Bay on Puget Sound. This was done despite warnings from the Anacortes Sewer District that the disposal of the wastewater was illegal. When heavy solids in the contaminated wastewater caused an obstruction in a pipe, the defendants placed additional contaminated wastewater into a tank and transported it to the Anacortes Public Sewage Treatment facility. There they illegally discharged the wastewater into a part of the facility designed to handle domestic sewage from recreational vehicles. The waste in the water consisted primarily of oil and grease and it also contained trace amounts of solvent materials such as benzene, trichloromethane and tetrachloroethane. Benzene is a known cause of cancer in humans. Sentencing for both defendants is set for Aug. 25. Gregg could receive up to one year of imprisonment and up to a $100,000 fine. Gregg’s Diesel could be fined up to $500,000. This case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. R-65 ### Release date:06/24/99 Receive our News Releases Automatically by Email
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