James Leslie Vaughan, Illegal Disposal of Septage Waste, Montana 2015

Ronan, MT – James Leslie Vaughan, owner of Anytime Septic, 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 illegal sewage disposal despite repeated warnings from state environmental authorities.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a cease and desist order to Vaughan and Anytime Septic on September 2, 2009. This order halted operations due to Vaughan’s inability to demonstrate access to an approved land application site for the disposal of septage waste—the solid and liquid waste removed from septic tanks. However, investigators discovered Vaughan continued to operate his business and illegally disposed of waste on at least ten occasions at his private residence near Ronan.

The EPA-CID investigation, which began following the MDEQ’s initial findings, uncovered further evidence of deliberate obstruction. A search of Vaughan’s property yielded no required EPA-mandated records documenting waste disposal. Investigators also photographed evidence of improperly disposed septage waste. Notably, Vaughan admitted in a signed statement to disposing of waste on his property in 2011, and further confessed to deleting relevant computer files during the execution of an administrative warrant.

Vaughan’s business continued to thrive throughout the period of non-compliance. Crucially, the investigation revealed he serviced the National Bison Range Complex, a federal facility, pumping waste from vault toilets even after the 2009 cease and desist order. Records from the National Bison Range, corroborated by Vaughan’s own business documentation, confirmed that on June 7, 2011, he illegally collected and disposed of septage waste from the facility, lacking any authorized disposal pathway.

Throughout the timeframe of September 2009 to June 2011, Vaughan had no authorization to deposit septage waste at any state-approved land application site, nor was he permitted to utilize the city of Ronan’s wastewater treatment plant for disposal. This systemic disregard for environmental regulations, investigators say, posed a significant risk to public health and the environment.

Vaughan was initially charged on February 19, 2014, with violating 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) of the Clean Water Act. He pleaded guilty on October 3, 2014, and was sentenced on January 20, 2015, to 24 months of probation and a $5,000 fine. The case underscores the EPA’s commitment to pursuing criminal enforcement actions against those who knowingly violate environmental laws.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: James Leslie Vaughan
Crime: Illegal Disposal of Septage Waste
State: Montana
Year: 2015
Statute Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) – Clean Water Act
Penalty: 24 months probation, $5,000 fine
Key Evidence: Illegally disposed waste on private property, deleted business records, admissions of guilt.
Victim: The Environment, Public Health

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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