03/14/2006
BARRICH,
INC., dba MRP SERVICES SENTENCED FOR FELONY VIOLATIONS OF THE CLEAN
WATER ACT
PORTLAND, OREGON - Karin J. Immergut, United States Attorney for the
District of Oregon, announced that Barrich, Inc., dba MRP Services,
its pumping manager Paul Hardman, and co-owner Richard Evett, were sentenced
March l3, 2006 before Judge Anna Brown in U.S. District Court for violations
of the Clean Water Act, Title 33, United States Code, Sections 1311,
1317 and 1319.
Metro Rooter and
Plumbing (MRP) is a company in the business of removing and disposing
of grease that builds up as a waste product from food preparation and
is subsequently stored, along with excess water, in a grease interceptor.
These interceptors are attached to local sewer systems and are designed
to allow water to travel into the sewer system while trapping the grease.
In cleaning out the grease interceptors, an MRP employee would use a
large suction pipe to remove the grease and pump it into a storage unit
on their truck.
In an effort to
save time and money, the company developed an illegal shortcut in which
their employees would discharge extra contaminated "grey water"
that had built up in their trucks back into subsequent grease interceptors
that they would service. This process had the result of forcing grease
and dirty water through clients' grease interceptors and into the local
sewer system at unapproved discharge points. This practice was referred
to as "stacking" or "doinking" and can potentially
result in the clogging of the sewer lines. This practice was used at
a number of restaurants in both Washington and Oregon.
On December 22,
2003, in Tacoma, Washington, a Barrich, Inc., dba MRP Services employee
discharged grease that had been removed from the Sheridan Elementary
school interceptor directly into the city's storm water drainage system
where it eventually migrated to the natural swale area.
Barrich, Inc.,
dba MRP Services and its manager Paul Hardman were both sentenced to
five (5) years probation for felony violations of the Clean Water Act.
Barrich, Inc. dba MRP Services was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine
as well as develop and implement a comprehensive environmental compliance
plan. One-half of the fine ($75,000) was ordered to be split between
the State of Washington-Coastal Protection Fund and the Oregon Governor's
Fund for the Environment in an effort to pay for environmental restoration
and preservation projects. Paul Hardman was individually ordered to
pay $2,000 to the Oregon Governor's Fund for the Environment in an effort
to pay for environmental restoration and preservation projects.
Richard Evett,
a co-owner of Barrich, Inc. dba MRP Services, was sentenced, for a misdemeanor
violation of the Clean Water Act, to 2 years of probation and ordered
to pay $4,000 to the Oregon Governor's Fund for the Environment in an
effort to pay for environmental restoration and preservation projects.
U.S. Attorney Karin
Immergut stated, "Oregon has a long history of protecting its environment,
and this office is committed to vigorous prosecutions of individuals
threatening that environment."
This case was prosecuted
by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin (District of Oregon) and Jim
Oesterle (Western District of Washington). Further information can be
obtained from Diane Peterson, Public Information Officer, at 503-727-l066.
