Frank J. Jordan, Clean Water Act Violation, OR 1992

Ontario, OR – Frank J. Jordan, former environmental controls supervisor at the Ore-Ida Foods, Inc. plant in Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced in June 1992 after pleading guilty to a Clean Water Act violation. The case, brought forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealed a deliberate attempt to circumvent federal regulations regarding wastewater discharge.

Jordan, who oversaw all operations at the Ore-Ida wastewater treatment plant, was initially indicted on eight counts in November 1991. The charges stemmed from allegations of falsifying reports submitted to regulatory agencies, tampering with monitoring equipment, and exceeding permitted discharge levels. The EPA’s investigation uncovered evidence suggesting Jordan knowingly manipulated data to conceal violations of the plant’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

The Ore-Ida facility, a major vegetable processing plant, is required to adhere to strict guidelines for the treatment and disposal of its wastewater. These guidelines, mandated by the Clean Water Act, are designed to protect local waterways and ensure public health. According to court documents, Jordan’s actions compromised the integrity of the monitoring process, hindering the EPA’s ability to accurately assess the plant’s environmental impact. The falsified Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) presented a misleading picture of the facility’s compliance.

While originally facing multiple charges, Jordan ultimately pled guilty to a single count of violating the Clean Water Act. The prosecution alleged that Jordan’s actions were not isolated incidents but rather a systematic effort to avoid costly upgrades to the wastewater treatment infrastructure. The EPA’s criminal enforcement division pursued the case aggressively, highlighting the agency’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for environmental crimes.

On June 15, 1992, Judge Ancer Haggerty handed down the sentence: 60 days of house arrest, a 60-month probationary period, 100 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine. Legal experts at the time noted the sentence, while not imprisonment, sent a clear message that falsifying environmental data and violating the Clean Water Act would not be tolerated. The case remains a notable example of the EPA’s pursuit of individual accountability in corporate environmental violations.

Key Facts

Defendant: Frank J. Jordan
Location: Ontario, Oregon
Company: Ore-Ida Foods, Inc.
Statutes Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1)(A), 18 U.S.C. 1001, 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1), 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A)
Plea: Guilty to one count of violating the Clean Water Act
Sentence: 60 days house arrest, 60 months probation, 100 hours community service, $5,000 fine
Crime: Falsification of Discharge Monitoring Reports and violation of Clean Water Act regulations.

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Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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