Business owner dumps pollutants into Ohio river, killing 40,000 fish, feds say

A business owner has pleaded guilty to dumping thousands of gallons of hazardous substances into an Ohio river, killing more than 40,000 fish, officials said.

“There’s a right way and a wrong way to do business,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a May 7 news release. “When your business pollutes Ohio’s natural resources, you will be held accountable.”

The Kenton Man pleaded guilty to negligently discharging a pollutant without a permit — violating the Clean Water Act — in 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio said in a news release. The man is accused of dumping 7,000 gallons of hazardous wastewater containing ammonia into the Scioto River.

“Misdemeanor resolutions are virtually nonexistent in federal court, but I was pleased that the government recognized this as a fair and just resolution because (he) never intended to discharge a pollutant into the river or to cause any harm to the environment,” the man’s attorney Lindsay K. Gerdes told McClatchy News May 9.

The waste involved in the April 17, 2021 incident originated from two freight facilities — Cessna Transport Inc. and A.G. Bradley Inc. – owned and operated by the 72-year-old, officials said.

According to Cessna Transport’s website, the company specializes in transporting hazardous substances such as sulfuric and nitric acids, as well as propane and anhydrous ammonia.

McClatchy News reached out Cessna Transport for comment on May 9 but did not immediately hear back. Contact information for A.G. Bradley was not available.

The contaminants flowed about 18 miles downstream from where it was illegally dumped, in an area “routinely used for recreational fishing,” according to officials.

The fish kill was reported by a fisherman in Hardin County, according to authorities.

“The discharge killed 43,094 fish, including black bass, flathead catfish, sunfish, and minnows, valued at $22,508.60,” officials said.

“This type of behavior is unacceptable,” U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko said in a statement. “The Scioto River is home to abundant fish and other wildlife, and it is a valuable community resource, flowing through more than 230 miles of Ohio.”

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 12.

Hardin County is about a 70-mile drive northwest from Columbus.

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