Mid-America Pipeline Company LLC, Violating 33 U.S.C. §1321(b)(3), Kansas 2007

Kansas City, KS – Mid-America Pipeline Company, LLC, has been sentenced to pay $1 million in federal fines and a $125 special assessment fee following a guilty plea to charges stemming from a series of environmental violations, according to court documents unsealed this week. The case, investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealed a pattern of negligence leading to significant pollution of Kansas waterways.

The initial incident occurred in May 2005, when a pipeline breach at a Mid-America facility in Kansas City resulted in the release of approximately 18,900 gallons of gasoline. The fuel didn’t remain contained; it seeped into the ground and, critically, entered the storm sewer system. This ultimately led to the contamination of the Missouri River, a major navigable waterway.

However, the EPA’s investigation didn’t stop there. Digging deeper, investigators uncovered two additional spills at separate Mid-America facilities within the preceding year. These weren’t oil spills, but releases of ammonia. While the quantities released in these ammonia incidents remain undisclosed, authorities confirmed at least one of these spills resulted in a documented fish kill, raising concerns about the company’s operational safety and environmental oversight.

On June 21, 2007, Mid-America Pipeline was formally charged with violating 33 U.S.C. §1321(b)(3), a section of the Clean Water Act that prohibits the discharge of oil or hazardous substances into the navigable waters of the United States. The company quickly entered a guilty plea, acknowledging responsibility for the pollution incidents. The plea agreement, sealed until recently, details the scope of the contamination and the company’s failure to prevent these releases.

The sentencing, handed down on September 6, 2007, included the $1 million federal fine and a $125 special assessment. While the financial penalty is substantial, environmental advocacy groups have questioned whether it adequately addresses the long-term ecological damage caused by the spills. Concerns remain about the potential for lingering contamination in the Missouri River and the impact on aquatic ecosystems. GrimyTimes has reached out to Mid-America Pipeline for comment but has not yet received a response.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: Mid-America Pipeline Company, LLC
Location: Kansas City, Kansas and other Kansas facilities
Year of Incident: 2005-2007
Crime: Violation of the Clean Water Act
Specific Statute Violated: 33 U.S.C. §1321(b)(3) – Discharge of pollutants into navigable waters.
Spills: One gasoline spill (18,900 gallons) and two ammonia releases.
Environmental Impact: Contamination of the Missouri River and a confirmed fish kill.
Penalty: $1 million federal fine and a $125 special assessment fee.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of inadequate infrastructure maintenance and lax environmental controls within the energy sector. The EPA continues to pursue enforcement actions against companies that prioritize profits over environmental protection, hoping to deter future violations and safeguard the nation’s waterways.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

Related Federal Cases