United States Attorney John L. Ratcliffe
Eastern District of Texas
United States Attorney John L. Ratcliffe
Eastern District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: DAVILYN WALSTON
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008 PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/txe PHONE: (409) 839-2538
CELL: (409) 553-9881
GRAND PRAIRIE CORPORATION FINED FOR
MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS
SHERMAN, TX – United States Attorney John L. Ratcliffe announced today that a Grand Prairie Corporation has been sentenced for making false statements to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Eastern District of Texas.
SITE CONCRETE, INC. admitted to the charges on November 7, 2007 and was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000.00 today by United States District Judge Richard A. Schell.
According to information presented in court, Site Concrete was responsible for constructing new drinking water lines in Fairview, Texas. As part of its construction project, Site Concrete was required to draw samples of the water from the water lines and submit them to the EPA, acting through the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality, for testing for the presence of microbiological contamination. Through its employees and agents, Site Concrete caused false water samples to be submitted in order to conceal the presence of contamination. Site Concrete also admitted to having repeatedly violated Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations on other construction projects.
“Fairview officials need accurate and reliable samples to make sure that their water is safe to drink," said Warren Amburn, Special Agent in Charge of EPA Criminal Investigation Division's Dallas Area Office. "Companies that falsify drinking water samples are risking the public’s health and will be prosecuted.”
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shamoil T. Shipchandler.
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