James Leslie Vaughan, Violating 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A), Montana 2015

RONAN, MT – James Leslie Vaughan, owner of Anytime Septic in Ronan, Montana, was sentenced to two years of probation and a $5,000 fine in January 2015 for repeatedly violating the Clean Water Act. The case, investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), reveals a pattern of deliberate disregard for environmental regulations and a continued operation of an illegal waste disposal business despite official warnings.

The investigation stemmed from a cease and desist order issued by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) on September 2, 2009. The order halted Anytime Septic’s operations due to Vaughan’s failure to identify a legally approved site for the disposal of septage waste – the solid and liquid waste removed from septic tanks. However, evidence collected by the EPA-CID showed Vaughan continued pumping and illegally disposing of waste on at least ten occasions at his private residence following the order.

A search of Vaughan’s property uncovered not only visible evidence of improper waste disposal but also a deliberate attempt to obstruct the investigation. Investigators found Vaughan unable to produce required EPA-mandated records and discovered he had actively deleted business files from his computer during the execution of an administrative warrant. He later admitted, in a written statement, to disposing of waste on his property as late as 2011.

The scope of Vaughan’s illegal operation extended beyond simple non-compliance. Records show Anytime Septic continued to service clients, including a federal facility – the National Bison Range Complex. Despite lacking any authorized disposal site or permission to utilize the city of Ronan’s wastewater treatment plant, Vaughan pumped and disposed of septage from vault toilets at the National Bison Range on June 7, 2011. Business records from both Vaughan’s company and the National Bison Range confirmed this illicit activity.

Vaughan was initially charged on February 19, 2014, with violating 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) of the Clean Water Act, which prohibits the unpermitted discharge of pollutants. He pleaded guilty on October 3, 2014, and ultimately received a sentence of 24 months probation and a $5,000 fine on January 20, 2015. While the penalty appears relatively light, EPA officials emphasize that the case serves as a warning to others operating in the waste management industry.

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Key Facts

Defendant: James Leslie Vaughan
Location: Ronan, Montana
Crime: Illegal disposal of septage waste, obstruction of justice
Statute Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) – Clean Water Act
Penalty: 24 months probation, $5,000 fine
Timeline: Cease and desist order issued 2009; guilty plea 2014; sentencing 2015
Affected Parties: Montana Department of Environmental Quality, National Bison Range Complex

GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. The EPA-CID encourages anyone with information regarding environmental crimes to report it to their hotline.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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