Cin-Air LP, Discharging Pollutants into Navigable Waters, Ohio 2019

Cincinnati, OH – Cin-Air LP, a fuel service provider at Lunken Airport, has been sentenced following a 2019 jet fuel leak that contaminated a cove of the Little Miami River. The company pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act and received one year of probation and a $90,000 fine, according to court documents released this week.

The incident occurred on March 21, 2019, when a fuel pump was inadvertently left running overnight after an aircraft refueling. Investigators determined a critical safety feature, a “dead man switch” designed to halt the pump when unattended, had been deliberately bypassed with a zip tie, rendering it permanently disengaged. This allowed over 3,000 gallons of jet fuel to spill onto the tarmac and, ultimately, into the environment.

Perhaps more concerning than the initial leak was Cin-Air’s delayed response. Company employees reportedly discovered the spill the morning of March 22nd but failed to immediately report it to the National Response Center, the federal point of contact for oil and chemical spills. Instead, they attempted to wash down the affected area with water, directing the contaminated runoff directly into a nearby storm sewer, exacerbating the environmental damage. It was approximately six hours before the Cincinnati Fire Department was notified, and emergency crews traced the fuel to a small cove connected to the Little Miami River. Fortunately, the fuel did not reach the main river channel.

While cleanup efforts recovered an estimated 1,700 gallons of fuel, the total cost of remediation reached nearly $440,000, with Cin-Air contributing approximately $220,000. However, the financial penalty represents only a fraction of the potential environmental and ecological impact. The incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining safety equipment and adhering to established spill reporting protocols.

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Legal Ramifications

Cin-Air LP was found to have violated 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1) and 33 U.S.C. 1311(a) of the Clean Water Act. Specifically, the company was charged with discharging pollutants into navigable waters of the United States without a permit and failing to report a substantial oil spill. The sentencing includes a year of probation during which Cin-Air is mandated to provide comprehensive spill prevention and cleanup training for all employees. Furthermore, as part of the sentencing agreement, the company must publish a full-page acknowledgment of its misconduct in Business Air’s FBO Today, a trade publication, serving as a public record of the offense.

Key Facts

Defendant: Cin-Air LP
Location: Lunken Airport, Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Incident: March 21-22, 2019
Substance Spilled: Jet Fuel (estimated 3,000+ gallons)
Laws Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1), 33 U.S.C. 1311(a) – Clean Water Act
Penalty: $90,000 fine, one year probation, employee training, and public acknowledgment.
Cleanup Costs: Approximately $440,000 (Cin-Air contributed $220,000)

This case serves as a stark reminder to aviation fuel providers and other businesses handling hazardous materials that negligence and a failure to adhere to safety regulations can have serious consequences, both financially and environmentally. The EPA continues to prioritize the enforcement of environmental laws to protect our nation’s waterways.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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