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Glamis Dunes Storage, Untreated Human Waste, California 2007
SAN DIEGO – In a shocking case of environmental neglect, Glamis Dunes Storage Inc. and its owner, Michael Mamelli, Sr., pleaded guilty today to the illegal underground disposal of potentially millions of gallons of untreated human waste and sewage at the Glamis Dunes Storage site for more than four years, in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The Glamis Dunes site is located off of Highway 78 in Imperial County, and advertises storage services near the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
The defendants admitted at today’s hearing that in August of 2007, Glamis Dunes Storage obtained a conditional use permit from Imperial County to install and operate a 20,000 gallon holding tank for RV waste (including human waste and grey water) at the facility.
When acquiring the permit, Glamis Dunes Storage represented that the wastewater would be pumped out by a licensed septage hauler and disposed of at the Holtville wastewater treatment plant. According to Glamis Dunes Storage, the holding tank could be expected to dispose of approximately 1,250,000 gallons of RV sewage and grey water per year.
The permit specifically prohibited any underground leach system attached to the holding tank. However, between February 16, 2010, and March 12, 2010, the defendants arranged for a contractor to build a leach field in the rear of the property, install a pump in the RV holding tank, and connect a pipe directly from the RV holding tank out to the leach field.
The defendants agreed to forfeiture of the sum of $50,000, as the proceeds of the offense, and to make restitution to the Bureau of Land Management and the Imperial County Department of Environmental Health and to fund the restoration of the site to the satisfaction of the Imperial County Department of Environmental Health.
Michael Mamelli and Glamis Dunes Storage, Inc. are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Judge William Q. Hayes on February 17, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. for sentencing.
The defendants will face the following charges:
* Unlawful Injection of Pollutants, a felony, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 300h-2(b)(2)
The maximum penalty for the individual is three years in prison; up to $250,000 fine or twice the illegal gain or loss, whichever is greater. The maximum penalty for the corporation is a fine of up to $500,000.
The investigating agencies involved in this case include the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigations Division and the Bureau of Land Management.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Environmental Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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