CHARLESTON, W.Va. A now-bankrupt chemical company pleaded guilty Monday to three pollution charges related to last year's spill that contaminated a West Virginia river. <\/p>\n
Mark Welch, chief restructuring officer of Freedom Industries, entered the plea on behalf of the company in federal court to negligent discharge of a pollutant and unlawful discharge of refuse matter, both misdemeanors, and violating a permit condition under the Clean Water Act, a felony. <\/p>\n
Thousands of gallons of a coal-cleaning agent from Freedom Industries in Charleston spilled into the Elk River and went into West Virginia American Water's intake 2 miles downstream on Jan. 9, 2014. It prompted a tap water ban for 300,000 residents in nine counties for up to 10 days while the water company's system was flushed out. <\/p>\n
Freedom Industries, which filed for bankruptcy eight days after the spill, faces a maximum $900,000 fine. Sentencing was set for June 29. <\/p>\n
\"Extreme fines would be very difficult for the estate,\" Welch told U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston. \"I have limited resources.\" <\/p>\n
In ordering a presentencing report, Johnston said, \"We'll find out how much money Freedom Industries has.\" <\/p>\n
An FBI affidavit says Freedom knew about critical flaws at its Charleston plant but never dealt with them. Federal investigators have said holes in a corroded tank's floor and roof likely helped cause the spill. <\/p>\n
Prosecutors have said the tank conditions \"put an entire population needlessly at risk.\" <\/p>\n
In September a federal bankruptcy judge approved a $2.9 million settlement between the company and businesses and residents under which a panel would choose public interest projects that would benefit those whose tap water was contaminated. The settlement would rely on insurance proceeds from Freedom Industries. <\/p>\n
Former Freedom owners William Tis and Charles Herzing and two lower-level employees pleaded guilty to a pollution charge last week and will be sentenced in June. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read the original: <\/p>\n
Freedom Industries pleads guilty to pollution charges in West Virginia chemical spill case<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CHARLESTON, W.Va. A now-bankrupt chemical company pleaded guilty Monday to three pollution charges related to last year's spill that contaminated a West Virginia river Continue reading