J.H. Baxter fined $1.5M for illegal hazardous waste treatment and Clean Air Act violations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that J.H. Baxter & Co. Inc. and J.H. Baxter & Co., A California Limited Partnership, along with company president Georgia Baxter-Krause, have been sentenced for hazardous waste and Clean Air Act violations at the company’s wood treatment facility in Eugene, Oregon. The two companies were fined a combined $1.5 million in criminal penalties and placed on five years of probation, while Baxter-Krause was sentenced to 90 days in prison and one year of supervised release.
According to court documents, the companies used hazardous chemicals in wood treatment and improperly disposed of excess wastewater by boiling it off in unpermitted wood retorts, releasing emissions through open vents into the surrounding community. Georgia Baxter-Krause was found guilty of making false statements to inspectors about the practice, despite being aware of detailed production logs documenting 136 days of illegal activity in 2019. The case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division with support from multiple state and regional environmental agencies as part of the Environmental Crimes Task Force.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Jeffrey Hall, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said, “The J.H. Baxter companies knowingly mishandled hazardous waste and repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act by venting hazardous substances directly into the air, right across the street from people’s homes. The company president then lied to cover up these crimes. oday’s sentencing highlights the significant penalties that Congress has provided for illegally treating or disposing of hazardous waste as well as the Agency’s continued efforts to ensure that Americans have clean air, land, and water.”
Adam Gustafson, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, added, “On more than 100 different days, J.H. Baxter knowingly and illegally boiled off hazardous waste, emitting the discharge into the air. J.H. Baxter’s President, Georgia Baxter-Krause, then made false statements about the unlawful practice. Protecting the public’s health is among our highest priorities, and we will prosecute those who violate environmental laws.”
Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the Eugene and Medford Branches of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, added, “The defendant companies boiled hazardous waste into our community’s air instead of properly dealing with it and Georgia Baxter-Krause lied when confronted about it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who put Oregonians at risk in violation of federal law.”
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