NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

JOHN F. WOOD

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

DECEMBER 15, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY

DISCHARGING HAZARDOUS WASTE

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., business and its owner were charged in federal court today with violating the Clean Water Act by discharging hazardous waste into the city’s sewer system.

Allan McCracken, 65, of Springfield, and his business, McCracken Holdings, Inc., which does business as Culligan of Springfield, 2111 E. Central Ct., were charged in a federal information that was filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Culligan is engaged in the business of cleaning water tanks and resin water filters using hydrochloric acid and caustic soda. McCracken and his company are charged with negligently discharging pollutants – specifically, cleaning supply manufacturing waste and waste water with pH levels below 5.0 – into the Springfield public sewer system from Oct. 12 to Oct. 24, 2007.

Wood cautioned that the charge contained in this information is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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