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TWO CONVICTED FOR ILLEGALLY INJECTING WASTE INTO OIL WELLS

Release Date: 03/05/99
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FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1999

TWO CONVICTED FOR ILLEGALLY INJECTING WASTE INTO OIL WELLS

Balko Inc., of Conrad, Mont., and John J. Balkenbush, company president, were convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana in Helena on Feb. 24, for violating the Underground Injection Control (UIC) regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Balkenbush and Balko provided field and operations services for oil production companies throughout Montana. The defendants disposed of wastewater and other waste fluids from oil and gas production into three abandoned oil wells in Pondera County, Mont. These wells did not have UIC permits allowing them to be used as disposal sites. This practice occurred periodically over several years, despite the availability of wells with UIC disposal permits which could have been used for this activity. When sentenced, the company could be fined up to $500,000. Balkenbush faces a maximum sentence of up to three years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000. This case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division.


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