SYRACUSE, NY – Gary Hallinan, 61, of Oswego, New York, is facing serious consequences after admitting to a blatant disregard for environmental regulations and public health. The former superintendent of the Oswego Wastewater Treatment Plant pled guilty yesterday to a Clean Water Act violation, confessing to negligently dumping untreated sewage into Lake Ontario.
According to court documents, the trouble began in December 2014 when a critical centrifuge – essential for processing wastewater and removing raw sewage – malfunctioned. Instead of addressing the issue or alerting authorities, Hallinan allegedly allowed the situation to fester for five months. He failed to take any action to remove the accumulating sewage or report the broken equipment to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
The result? Three separate discharges of wastewater containing solid sewage into Lake Ontario: March 1, 2015; June 19, 2015; and June 23, 2015. But it was the June 23rd discharge that truly stank. Investigators found the concentration of solid matter in the water was a staggering 60 times higher than permitted under the plant’s Clean Water Act permit – a clear and dangerous breach of public trust.
“This wasn’t a simple oversight,” stated U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith in a press release. “This was a deliberate failure to act, a conscious decision to prioritize inaction over the health of Lake Ontario and the surrounding community.” The case was a joint effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), the New York State DEC, and the Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigation Unit (BECI).
Hallinan now faces a potential sentence of up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 1 year. United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles will hand down the sentence on September 24, 2019. The final punishment will depend on sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael F. Perry is prosecuting the case. This conviction sends a clear message: those entrusted with protecting our environment will be held accountable for their failures. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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