Milwaukee, WI – A former corrosion coordinator for Shell Pipeline Company L.P. has been sentenced for deliberately falsifying safety data and neglecting crucial pipeline inspections, leading to a substantial jet fuel spill at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport in 2012. Randy Jones, 44, of Louisiana, pleaded guilty in November 2014 to violating federal pipeline safety regulations and making false statements to federal investigators.
The investigation, a collaborative effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and the FBI, revealed Jones knowingly failed to conduct required bi-monthly voltage readings and an annual survey of a critical pipeline delivering jet fuel to the airport between January and December 2011. When a PHMSA audit loomed in December 2011, Jones submitted fabricated data claiming the tests *had* been performed.
The negligence came to light in January 2012 when approximately 9,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked from a hole in the pipeline, saturating the surrounding soil and ultimately reaching Wilson Creek. The spill caused significant damage, even melting asphalt on airport property, and triggered a massive cleanup effort costing approximately $19.3 million. Jones had been employed by Shell since 1992, and held the position of corrosion coordinator – responsible for pipelines servicing both Mitchell and Chicago O’Hare airports – from 2010 until his departure in 2012.
Pipeline Safety & Corrosion Monitoring
Federal regulations mandate rigorous corrosion protection for buried or submerged metal pipelines, utilizing rectifiers to apply a protective current. Pipeline operators are required to regularly monitor rectifier voltage and conduct annual pipeline surveys to ensure adequate protection. Jones’s failure to adhere to these protocols directly contributed to the pipeline’s deterioration and the subsequent fuel leak, jeopardizing both the environment and airport operations.
Legal Ramifications
Jones was charged with two counts of violating the Pipeline Safety Act (49 U.S.C. 60123 (a)) and one count of making false statements (18 U.S.C. 1001). On April 30, 2015, he was sentenced to ten years of probation and ordered to pay $19,337,785 in restitution to cover the costs of the spill cleanup. The case was prosecuted by Jennifer A. Whitfield of the Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and Tracy M. Johnson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Randy Jones, 44, of Louisiana
- Company: Former corrosion coordinator for Shell Pipeline Company L.P.
- Location: General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Spill Amount: Approximately 9,000 gallons of jet fuel
- Cleanup Cost: $19,337,785
- Laws Violated: 49 U.S.C. 60123 (a) – Pipeline Safety Act violations; 18 U.S.C. 1001 – False Statements
- Penalty: 10 years probation & $19,337,785 restitution
- Timeline: Negligence occurred in 2011, spill discovered in 2012, guilty plea in 2014, sentencing in 2015
This case underscores the critical importance of adhering to pipeline safety regulations and the severe consequences of negligence and deception when dealing with hazardous materials. Federal authorities emphasize that consistent monitoring and honest reporting are essential to protecting the public and the environment.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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