John Brewer, Clean Water Act Violation, West Virginia 2023

BECKLEY, W.Va. – In a shocking move, a former lab manager from Raleigh County has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for violating the Clean Water Act. John Brewer, 62, of Beaver, was found to have falsified data regarding water samples at Appalachian Laboratories, a company that performed water sampling and analysis for coal mining operations.

The investigation, conducted jointly by the FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, revealed that Brewer and his employees had been falsifying the dates that water samples were taken. This was done to avoid collecting samples that were believed to be in violation of permit limits. Instead, the employees would wait until the water was within permit limits and then take a sample, backdating it to make it appear as though it had been collected in the previous month.

The company, Appalachian Laboratories, was responsible for ensuring that the discharges of pollutants into public waterways were within the limits of permits issued by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. However, Brewer’s actions compromised the integrity of the water sampling process, putting the environment and public health at risk.

Brewer’s sentence is a result of a prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Bacaj and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry McDaniel. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.

This is not the first time a former employee of Appalachian Laboratories has been prosecuted for a violation of the Clean Water Act. In February 2015, John Shelton, another former lab manager, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act and was sentenced to a year and nine months in federal prison.

The investigation and prosecution of Brewer’s crimes serve as a reminder of the importance of environmental regulations and the need for companies to adhere to them. The case also highlights the consequences of falsifying data and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions.

A former lab manager from Raleigh County who falsified water sample data has been sentenced to two years in federal prison. John Brewer’s actions compromised the integrity of the water sampling process at Appalachian Laboratories, putting the environment and public health at risk.

As a result of the investigation, Brewer was found to have violated the Clean Water Act, a federal law that regulates the discharge of pollutants into public waterways. The law requires companies to adhere to strict guidelines to ensure that their operations do not harm the environment.

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