Leetsdale, PA – Hussey Copper, LLC, a Pennsylvania manufacturer of flat-rolled copper products, has been sentenced following a guilty plea to multiple violations of the Clean Water Act. The company admitted to years of falsifying reports to regulators and illegally discharging pollutants, including oil, into the Ohio River. The case, brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), highlights a pattern of deliberate environmental misconduct designed to conceal non-compliance and avoid penalties.
According to court documents, Hussey Copper operated a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) associated with its manufacturing facility. This WWTP discharged wastewater into the Ohio River under a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). The permit established strict limits on pollutants like copper and oil, requiring the company to submit monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) certifying the accuracy of discharge data.
However, between June 2012 and May 2017, Hussey knowingly submitted falsified DMRs, reporting discharges within permitted limits when internal sampling data clearly showed exceedances. The company admitted to falsifying data for at least 140 parameters, including numerous copper discharges, across 21 monthly reports. This systematic deception concealed the true extent of the facility’s pollution.
Beyond the falsified reporting, Hussey also engaged in a prolonged pattern of illegal discharges of oil into the Ohio River. Internal logs revealed hundreds of documented oil sheens observed at the company’s outfalls between January 2012 and 2018. Despite these observations, Hussey failed to report any of these incidents to the EPA or PADEP, as required by law. Following a notice of violation in 2015 – triggered by a citizen complaint – the company falsely claimed to have observed no further oil sheens for thirteen months, even as internal records showed dozens of additional incidents. Even when reporting began in 2018, it was incomplete, omitting numerous sheen observations.
The EPA’s investigation uncovered a deliberate attempt to mislead regulators and the public regarding the environmental impact of Hussey Copper’s operations. This case serves as a stark reminder that companies will be held accountable for prioritizing profits over environmental protection. The systematic falsification of reports and failure to report illegal discharges represent a serious breach of public trust and a threat to the health of the Ohio River ecosystem.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Libertas Copper, LLC d/b/a Hussey Copper
- Location: Leetsdale, Pennsylvania
- Crime: Violations of the Clean Water Act
- Years of Activity: Approximately 2012 – 2018
- Statutes Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A), 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(4), 33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(5), 33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(3)
- Penalties: $550,000 fine and a three-year term of probation. The company is also required to enter into a civil Consent Decree to implement a comprehensive environmental compliance program.
As part of its probation, Hussey Copper will be subject to a civil Consent Decree requiring a comprehensive environmental compliance program at its Leetsdale facility. Upon completion of the program and entry of the Consent Decree, the company’s criminal probation will be terminated. This parallel civil action underscores the EPA’s commitment to not only penalize wrongdoing but also to ensure long-term environmental stewardship.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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