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Idaho Company Charged with Violating Clean Water Act

Release Date: 03/24/2005
Contact Information:


Contact: Stacie Findon, 202-564-7338 / findon.stacie@epa.gov

(03/24/05) Lynn Plasma Inc., of Garden City, Idaho, was charged on March 3 in U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho in Boise with violating the Clean Water Act. Lynn Plasma is in the business of applying plasma coatings to a variety of materials. During the summer of 2002, and again in November of 2002, it is alleged that the defendant discharged industrial wastewater onto its parking lot. In November it is further alleged that the wastewater contained silicone. The wastewater allegedly ran into a storm drain that empties directly into the Boise River which is 200 yards from the drain. Lynn Plasma did not have a permit to discharge industrial wastewater into the storm drain and was warned by regulators in the summer of 2002 that such a permit was necessary. Discharging industrial wastewater into storm drains that connect to rivers can harm fish and wildlife and can make surface waters unusable for drinking water and recreational purposes. The case was investigated by the Boise Office of EPA's Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI. Assistance was provided by the Idaho State Police, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and the Garden City Public Works Department. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. attorney's office in Boise.