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MINNESOTA COMPANIES, OWNERS CHARGED WITH WETLANDS VIOLATIONS, RISK TO LAKE SUPERIOR
Release Date: 09/24/2001
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2001
MINNESOTA COMPANIES, OWNERS CHARGED WITH
WETLANDS VIOLATIONS, RISK TO LAKE SUPERIOR
Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov
WETLANDS VIOLATIONS, RISK TO LAKE SUPERIOR
Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov
Two Duluth, Minn. firms, DC Enterprises and J&D Services, and their owners, Dale Cich and Judith Perrault, were indicted on Sept.11 for conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act (CWA) and for discharging pollutants into wetlands in violation of the CWA. Cich was also charged with making a false statement to the Army Corps of Engineers. The charges allege that the defendants conducted demolition and environmental cleanup activities and then disposed of demolition debris, hazardous wastes and contaminated soils in a wetland, which drains into Wild Rice Lake, which drains into Lake Superior. Wetlands are important breeding areas for fish and wildlife and dumping debris into them can significantly damage these important natural resources. If convicted on all charges, Cich and Perrault face maximum sentences of up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and three years in prison on the illegal discharge charge. In addition, Cich faces up to five years in prison if convicted on the false statement charge. All defendants also face significant fines on each charge, if convicted. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis. An indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
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