The Arthur Kill waterway separates New Jersey and Staten Island. (File Photo)
Chris Sheldon reports for NJ.com:
An Elizabeth biodiesel fuel company that dumped over 45,000 gallons of wastewater into the Arthur Kill must pay a criminal fine of $100,000 as part of a sentence handed down Thursday by a U.S. District Judge.
Fuel Bio One LLC previously plead guilty to one count of violating the Clean Water Act for dumping the wastewater into a stormwater pit at its plant that discharged it into the narrow waterway that separates New Jersey and Staten Island in 2013, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a release.
The Clean Water Act is a statute created to prevent, reduce, and eliminate water pollution in the country.
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“Protecting the environment and our natural resources is one of the many ways this office works to keep New Jersey safe for everyone,”Carpenito said in a release. “The sentence imposed today as a result of Fuel Bio One’s previous guilty plea ensures that the company will be punished for its past crimes, and the plea agreement puts in place a plan to ensure they don’t pollute our waterways in the future.”
The wastewater that was dumped by employees on Sept. 6, 2013, and Nov. 9, 2013 contained methanol, biodiesel and “other contaminants” as a byproduct of its biodiesel fuel production, the release stated.
The company was also sentenced to a 5-year probation period where it must allow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency full access to its facilities, provide biannual reports that document its waste generation, handling and disposal practices and train its employees on proper disposal and handling practices.
Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.
