Great Falls, MT – Gomer’s Diesel & Electric, Incorporated (GDE) has been sentenced following a guilty plea to federal charges stemming from the illegal handling and transportation of hazardous waste. The case, brought forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reveals a pattern of non-compliance with environmental regulations spanning approximately three decades.
According to court documents, GDE generated hazardous waste as a byproduct of its automotive services business. For roughly 30 years, this waste—accumulated in numerous 55-gallon drums—was stored on site at the company’s facilities. The core of the criminal activity occurred in September 1991, when GDE employees transported twenty-two drums of this hazardous material on an unsecured flatbed truck from their Great Falls location to a facility in Belgrade, Montana.
The Belgrade facility lacked the necessary permits or interim status required to legally treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste, immediately placing the public and environment at risk. Subsequent analytical testing of the transported drums revealed dangerously high levels of lead and benzene, exceeding regulated limits. Further investigation identified the presence of additional hazardous substances including methylene chloride, ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene, and acetone within the waste.
Legal Ramifications & Penalties
On March 24, 1994, GDE was formally charged with one count of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – specifically, 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1), which prohibits the illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste. The company entered a guilty plea, accepting responsibility for the violations. As a result of the plea agreement, GDE was sentenced to a 24-month probationary period and ordered to pay a total of $100,000 in fines. Of this amount, $50,000 was suspended, and a special assessment fee of $200 was levied, directed towards a fund for victims of crime.
Investigative Details
The EPA’s investigation highlighted significant deficiencies in GDE’s waste management practices. The unauthorized transportation and storage of highly toxic substances exposed both workers and the surrounding communities to potential health hazards. Environmental groups are citing this case as another example of the need for strict oversight of automotive service businesses, many of which generate substantial quantities of hazardous waste through oil changes, parts cleaning, and battery servicing.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Gomer’s Diesel & Electric, Incorporated
- Location: Great Falls & Belgrade, Montana
- Crime: Illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste
- Statute Violated: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) (RCRA)
- Hazardous Materials: Lead, benzene, methylene chloride, ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene, and acetone
- Penalty: 24 months probation, $100,000 fine ($50,000 suspended), $200 special assessment
- Timeline: Waste generated over 30 years, illegal transport in September 1991, sentencing March 24, 1994.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments or potential environmental impacts related to GDE’s past practices.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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