ELLKENSICK, WA – The owner of Principle Metals, LLC, BRET A. SIMPSON, 53, has been sentenced to four months in prison and faces a staggering $22 million cleanup bill for his role in an oil spill on the Columbia River.
SIMPSON pleaded guilty to two criminal violations of the Clean Water Act for failing to report an oil discharge and unlawfully discharging oil into the river near Camas, Washington. His actions led to a massive federal and state response that cost approximately $22 million to address.
“This defendant’s singular focus on maximizing his profits, at the expense of even minimal environmental safeguards, cost taxpayers millions,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “Mr. Simpson exhibited no regard for the likelihood that his misguided salvage efforts could lead to an environmental emergency.”
The spill began when SIMPSON failed to remove oil from the ‘Davy Crockett’ barge before salvage operations started. When the first oil leak occurred in December 2010, he failed to notify authorities or take adequate steps to protect the vessel. Subsequent spills led to a multi-agency cleanup effort that took eight months to complete.
Rear Adm. Keith A. Taylor, Commander of the 13th Coast Guard District, emphasized the need for accountability: “Today Mr. Simpson is being held accountable for his criminal acts. Actions like these will not be tolerated.”
Special Agent-in-Charge Tyler Amon of the U.S. EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Seattle noted the severity of the consequences: “His negligence degraded the Columbia River, creating a hazard to navigation and costing more than $22 million to clean up.”
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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