Texas Company and Two Individuals Indicted for Environmental Crimes

U.S. Department of Justice, Nov 19, 2007

WASHINGTON—Two individuals including a company executive have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to illegally transport and dispose of hazardous waste, the Justice Department announced.

John Kessel, the president and owner of Texas Oil and Gathering, Inc., and Edgar Pettijohn, the company’s operations manager, were arrested and charged today with illegally disposing of hazardous waste at facilities only approved to take oil and gas production waste. Texas Oil and Gathering, Inc., a licensed hazardous waste transporter and used oil handler, was also named in the indictment.

Kessel and Pettijohn were arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Houston, Texas. They are charged with 14 felony counts including conspiracy, violating the Safe Drinking Water Act and violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

The Underground Injection Control provision of the Safe Drinking Water Act prohibits the unauthorized use of injection wells to prevent contamination of drinking water sources. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines five classes of injections wells according to the type of fluid they inject. Class II injection wells reinsert fluids associated with oil and natural gas production back into the ground. Most of the injected fluid is saltwater or brine that is produced when oil and gas are extracted from the earth.  It is illegal to dispose of anything other than these fluids through Class II injection wells during this process.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulates storage, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes.

For this full article please visit www.usdoj.gov.