YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Another player in a toxic scheme to illegally dump oil and gas drilling waste has been hit with federal charges. Mark A. Goff, 46, of Newton Falls, Ohio, is now facing the music for his role in polluting the Mahoning River with contaminated brine and wastewater.
According to court documents, Goff acted under the direct orders of Lupo, the owner of Hardrock Excavating LLC, located at 2761 Salt Springs Road, Youngstown, Ohio. Hardrock provides services to the oil and gas industry, including storing massive amounts of waste – approximately 20,000 gallons per tank across 58 mobile storage units. Between October 1, 2012, and November 12, 2012, Goff was instructed to covertly empty the “lighter phase” of this waste into a nearby wastewater drain. The operation was conducted under the cover of darkness, specifically to avoid detection.
The information details a calculated effort to circumvent environmental regulations. Goff allegedly emptied the tanks on approximately nine separate nights, using a hose to siphon the waste into the stormwater drain. This wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment; it was a sustained, deliberate act of pollution. The waste originated from oil and gas well drilling operations in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Federal and state officials are sending a clear message: this behavior will not be tolerated. “Those who make it their business to harvest from under Ohio its great natural resources, have a responsibility to the men, women and children who drink its water, live on its land and breathe its air,” stated U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Steven M. Dettelbach. “This defendant broke the law and must be held accountable.” Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine added, “Mark Goff is another individual who carried out orders to release contaminated brine into Ohio’s waterways. It is crucial to the safety of our communities that everyone involved in this heinous crime be held accountable for their actions.”
Officials from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources echoed the sentiment. Craig W. Butler, Director of the Ohio EPA, called the incident “one of a small percentage of egregious environmental violations” that demand criminal prosecution. Randall K. Ashe, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. EPA’s criminal enforcement program, warned that such actions “threaten to turn America’s waterways into chemical dumping grounds.”
Goff is charged with one count of making an unpermitted discharge in violation of the Clean Water Act. The investigation was a joint effort involving the Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. EPA, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Youngstown Department of Public Works, and the Department of Justice. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Beeson. Expect more shoes to drop as authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the pollution and those responsible.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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