Ira Sidney Campbell, Environmental Pollution, Illinois 2001

Hartford, IL – A decade-long investigation into illegal pollution practices at the Chemetco, Inc. copper smelter culminated in convictions and substantial penalties for multiple individuals and the company itself, revealing a deliberate effort to skirt environmental regulations and contaminate Long Lake. The case, which unfolded primarily between 1999 and 2001, exposed a secret discharge pipe installed at the facility, directing toxic runoff directly into the waterway.

The scheme originated in 1986, under the direction of then-Chemetco President, and was physically implemented in 1996. EPA and Illinois EPA inspectors discovered the concealed pipe connected to the smelter’s storm water runoff system. This bypass allowed the facility to illegally discharge pollutants including zinc, lead, and cadmium – all highly toxic substances – into Long Lake, impacting the local ecosystem and potentially posing health risks to nearby residents. The smelter operated in a low-income area, raising concerns about environmental justice and disproportionate exposure to pollution.

Ira Sidney Campbell, the Superintendent of Maintenance for Chemetco, played a central role in the illicit operation. Campbell utilized employees from his separate business, Industrial Fabrication and Repair, Inc., to construct and install the clandestine discharge pipe. On March 25, 1999, Campbell pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act. He received a sentence of nine months of home detention as part of a 12-month probation period and was fined $2,000.

Campbell wasn’t alone in facing legal repercussions. In April 1999, Chemetco and six of its employees were indicted on charges ranging from conspiracy and Clean Water Act violations to making false statements. Several employees, including Boud and Reed, Hendrickson, and Youngman, subsequently pled guilty to varying charges. Sentences mirrored Campbell’s, largely involving home detention and fines ranging from $2,000 to $4,000. One individual, Feron, remained a fugitive for several years before ultimately accepting responsibility and paying $500,000 in restitution to the EPA’s Superfund program in 2010.

The full weight of the law ultimately fell upon Chemetco itself. The company pled guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation and a staggering $3,863,500 fine. Chemetco appealed the sentence, but the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision in December 2001, solidifying the legal consequences for their environmental crimes. The case serves as a stark reminder of the severe penalties associated with violating federal environmental regulations and the importance of corporate accountability.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: Ira Sidney Campbell and Chemetco, Inc.
State: Illinois
Year: 2001 (investigation spanned 1999-2010)
Statutes Violated: Clean Water Act (CWA)
Crime: Illegal discharge of pollutants (zinc, lead, cadmium) into Long Lake via a secret pipe.
Penalties: Campbell – 9 months home detention, $2,000 fine. Chemetco – 60 months probation, $3,863,500 fine. Other employees received similar home detention and fine penalties.
Method: Installation of a concealed pipe connected to stormwater runoff, bypassing environmental controls.

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Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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