One of the two men accused in the
illegal dumping of oil and chlorides last year into the waters at Little
Chenier oilfield
pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegal discharge of pollutants into
state waters, said officials with the state Department of Environmental
Quality.
T&F Oil Co. CEO Lobdell Percy Brown III received probation and has to pay fines and restitution of more than $76,000, DEQ
spokesman Rodney Mallett said Tuesday.
Brown and his brother, Carr, a field
technician, were indicted, along with T&F Oil, in Cameron Parish in
October 2011 on charges
they allowed “two willful discharges of oil and chlorides into the
waters of the state, along with five additional spills
that went unreported from sites located in Little Chenier
oilfield,” reads a DEQ news release.
The violations occurred between July 2009 and January 2011, but how much oil and chlorides were illegally discharged may never
be known, Mike Nolan, a DEQ attorney, has said. Because it was an illegal discharge, an exact quantity is not available.
Besides six years’ probation, Brown
must pay $11,080 to the DEQ’s Environmental Trust Fund — for
investigation costs — within
the next 30 days. He must also reimburse up to half of DEQ’s total
investigation amount, including fines incurred by his brother.
In addition, Brown must pay a criminal fine of $15,000, plus restitution. His probation stipulates that he pay $50,000 to
the court registry to help pay for the cleanup. If Brown violates his probation, he could spend up to six years in prison.
DEQ reportedly began investigating the incident after receiving a civilian complaint.
To report spills, releases, odors, fish
kills, open burning, waste tires or other environmental incidents, call
DEQ at 888-763-5424.
Online: www.deq.louisiana.gov.