Tifton, GA – Herman William Parramore, owner and operator of So-Green Corporation, was sentenced in 1995 following a lengthy investigation into illegal hazardous waste storage and disposal. The case, originating from a warehouse fire in 1993, revealed a pattern of reckless disregard for environmental regulations and public safety. Parramore’s actions not only posed a significant threat to the local ecosystem but also jeopardized the City of Tifton’s wastewater treatment facility.
The trouble began on June 15, 1993, when a fire erupted at So-Green’s warehouse and office building. Responding fire crews quickly discovered a much larger problem than flames: a 200,000-gallon wooden pit filled with leaking drums of nitric acid. Crucially, this storage was occurring *without* the necessary permits, and investigators soon uncovered a history of similar violations documented by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Parramore had repeatedly exceeded permitted limits for the storage of hazardous waste identified as K061 – a waste stream commonly associated with industrial processes – by over 100 times the legal allowance.
Federal prosecutors brought charges against both Parramore and So-Green Corporation on September 14, 1994, alleging four counts of knowingly disposing of hazardous waste without a permit, a direct violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), specifically 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(2)(B). The indictment detailed not only the improper storage but also evidence that So-Green was illegally discharging pollutants into the City of Tifton’s Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), potentially overwhelming the system and contaminating the surrounding waterways.
After months of legal maneuvering, Parramore entered a plea agreement on April 12, 1995, admitting guilt to three of the four counts. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped the remaining charge against Parramore and dismissed all charges against So-Green Corporation. While the company escaped criminal liability, Parramore faced significant consequences for his actions. The plea agreement did little to mitigate the environmental damage already caused by years of negligence.
On October 22, 1995, Judge [Judge’s name not provided in source data] handed down the sentence: 30 months of incarceration, followed by a 36-month period of supervised probation. Parramore was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. While a substantial penalty, critics argue that the sentence failed to adequately address the scale of the environmental harm caused by So-Green’s operations. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by improper hazardous waste management and the importance of stringent enforcement of environmental regulations.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Herman William Parramore
- Company: So-Green Corporation
- State: Georgia
- Year of Incident: 1993 (fire), 1996 (sentencing)
- Statute Violated: 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(2)(B) – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Hazardous Waste: K061, Nitric Acid
- Penalties: 30 months incarceration, 36 months probation, $1,000 fine
- Environmental Impact: Illegal storage of 200,000 gallons of hazardous waste, discharge of pollutants into city POTW.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow environmental crime cases and report on the pursuit of justice for those impacted by pollution and illegal waste disposal.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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