Masami Cattle Ranch (MCR)
of Tehema County, Calif., Masami Ishida, the ranch's owner, and Manuel Madera Noriega, the
ranch's foreman, were each indicted on March 22 on charges of conspiring to violate the
Clean Water Act (CWA) and eleven additional counts of violating the CWA. MCR has operated
a beef cattle ranch since 1989 in Corning, Calif., which generally maintains approximately
5,000-8,000 head of cattle. The beef is primarily exported to Japan. The defendants are
charged with allegedly discharging, without proper permits, cattle waste and dumping dead
cattle carcasses into Elder and Willow Creeks, and their tributaries which run across the
ranch. These creeks feed into the Sacramento River. The discharge of manure and dumping of
dead animals into surface waters creates a risk of spreading bacteria and other pathogens
which can harm aquatic life and animals that use the waters and can make the waters unsafe
for recreational and drinking water purposes. The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal
Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in
Sacramento. An indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent
unless or until convicted in a court of law.
EPA Headquarters - For Release Friday,
March 30, 2001
