Louisiana transport company pleads to illegal Mississippi River dumping

Jan. 20, 2003 -- Sabine Transportation of Cedar Rapids Iowa, filed a plea agreement on Dec. 13 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana for violating the Clean Water Act by dumping wastes into the Mississippi River.

Between March 13 and March 19, 1998, Sabine allowed approximately two tons of rust scale, bunker fuel residue and other cargo-hold related debris to be dumped from the S.S. Trinity into the Mississippi River at Violet, La. Sabine was not permitted to discharge wastes into the river.

Dumping cargo-hold debris into surface waters can make water unfit for drinking, recreation and the support of fish and wildlife populations. The plea agreement calls for Sabine to pay a $200,000 fine, serve three years probation and develop an environmental compliance program.

The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Coast Guard. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana.