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Michael Rosenberg of Avon, Conn., pleaded guilty on March 23 to two counts of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by illegally disposing of the hazardous cleaning fluid tetrachloroethylene, which is commonly known as "perc." As part of his plea, the defendant has agreed pay approximately $200,000 in cleanup costs at two sites and pay up to a total of $20,000 each to two home owners in Farmington and Naugatuck, Conn., whose wells had been polluted by his illegal dumping activities. When sentenced, Rosenberg faces a maximum of up to five years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the two RCRA violations in addition to the restitution. The defendant owned and operated a business named Avenue Cleaners in Naugatuk, Conn. In 1999, he dumped perc in a Farmington wooded area and also dumped it at the business site in Naugatuk. The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, and the Environmental Crime Unit of the Connecticut Chief State's Attorney's Office with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Town of Farmington Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Haven, Conn. |
| EPA Headquarters - FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2001 |
| Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov |
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