Flint River oil spill leads to charges against head of chemical company

[marmar]

Flint River oil spill leads to charges against head of chemical company
The discharge of an oil-chemical mixture into the Flint River caused serious problems

By Steve Neavling
Dec 23, 2024 at 12:42 pm


(Detroit Metro Times) The director of a Flint-based chemical company is facing a slew of felony and misdemeanor charges after an alleged failure to maintain critical systems resulted in the discharge of 15,000 gallons of an oil-chemical mixture into the Flint River in 2022.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest and arraignment of Rajinder Singh Minhas, 60, of Rochester, who served as president, treasurer, and director of Lockhart Chemical Company. Minhas is accused of mismanagement and neglect that led to the environmental disaster and now faces charges ranging from falsifying public records to violating air and hazardous waste laws.

Minhas has been charged with the following:

* Falsely Altering a Public Record (14-year felony)

* Uttering and Publishing a False or Altered Public Record (14-year felony)

* Substantial Endangerment to the Public (5-year felony)

* Discharge of Injurious Substance to Waters of the State (2-year felony)

* False Statements and Omissions Regarding Air Pollution Control (1-year misdemeanor)

* General Violations of Air Pollution Control Law, carrying fines up to $10,000 per day of violation

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“Those who run a business have a responsibility to ensure their operations do not jeopardize public health or the environment, especially our precious water resources,” Nessel said. “Blatant neglect and disregard of this responsibility cannot be tolerated, and I will continue to make sure those who fail in this duty are met with the full force of the law.” ............(more)

https://www.metrotimes.com/news/flint-river-oil-spill-leads-to-charges-against-head-of-chemical-company-38149724