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PA CONNECTICUT COMPANY AND EMPLOYEES INDICTED FOR RESOURCE RECOVERY AND CONSERVATION ACT CONSPIRACY
Release Date: 04/24/98
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FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1998
CONNECTICUT COMPANY AND EMPLOYEES INDICTED FOR RESOURCE RECOVERY AND CONSERVATION ACT CONSPIRACY
On April 14, Cover-It Inc., of West New Haven, Conn., James Hawley of New Haven and Michael Knapp of Ashtabula, Ohio, were charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut with conspiracy to violate the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act and with the illegal transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes. Cover-It manufactures portable shelters and generates hazardous wastes containing toxic levels of lead and chromium when it produces metal tubing for shelter frames. Exposure to lead and chromium wastes can cause damage to the central nervous system and internal organs. The defendants allegedly removed and painted over the labels on drums of hazardous waste on March 7, 1997. The defendants then allegedly dumped the drums near the New Haven Terminal shipping complex and near the Secondi Brothers Truck Stop in Milford, Conn. If convicted on all charges, defendants Hawley and Knapp each face a maximum sentence of up to 13 years imprisonment and/or fines of up to $750,000. Cover-It faces maximum fines of up to $1.5 million if convicted on all counts. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection with the assistance of EPA’s National Environmental Investigations Center.
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