Robert Darren Fromdahl, Hazardous Waste Violation, Montana 2013

Great Falls, MT – A tangled web of illegal hazardous waste storage and disposal culminated in sentencing for two Montana men in 2013, revealing a callous disregard for environmental regulations and public safety. Robert Darren Fromdahl and Matthew Black Eagle were both convicted under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) after a cache of highly corrosive chemicals was discovered abandoned on tribal land in Valley County.

The case began to unravel in June 2010 when a local rancher reported finding approximately 74 drums of unknown substances on land leased from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. A subsequent investigation by the Valley County HAZMAT team and the EPA’s Emergency Response Unit revealed the drums contained a variety of hazardous materials, including sulfuric acid, caustic potash, and caustic soda beads. Analysis confirmed that 28 drums contained waste with a pH below 2, classifying them as highly corrosive hazardous waste, and another 4 drums had a pH above 12.

The investigation quickly led authorities to Fromdahl, who admitted to initially transporting the drums from Classic Plating in Billings, Montana, to a family farm several years prior. Unable to determine how to properly dispose of the waste, he then moved the barrels to Black Eagle’s property approximately one year before their discovery. Fromdahl confessed to paying Black Eagle $500 – funneled through his father via Moneygram transfers – to store the drums. Disturbingly, Fromdahl admitted that Black Eagle repeatedly questioned whether the materials were toxic, and Fromdahl repeatedly assured him they were “mostly toxic acid copper,” despite knowing their dangerous nature.

Black Eagle initially claimed ignorance of the hazardous contents, but investigators uncovered evidence contradicting his statements. Fromdahl’s testimony revealed Black Eagle’s deliberate acceptance of payment in exchange for storing the waste, knowing it was potentially dangerous. The EPA cleanup operation revealed a total of 1,801 gallons of waste, with 1,258 gallons classified as hazardous, necessitating a costly and complex remediation effort. The abandoned site was not licensed as a treatment, storage, or disposal facility (TSDF), a clear violation of state and federal regulations.

Fromdahl was initially charged with four counts of violating RCRA – specifically 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) for knowingly transporting hazardous waste and 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) for treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste without a permit. He pled guilty in June 2011 and was sentenced to 180 days incarceration, 36 months probation, and $51,594 in restitution. Black Eagle subsequently faced a charge of violating 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A), pleading guilty in November 2012. He received 24 months probation, 100 hours of community service, a $100 special assessment, and was also ordered to pay $51,504 in restitution, jointly and severely with Fromdahl.

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Key Facts

Defendants: Robert Darren Fromdahl and Matthew Black Eagle
Location: Wolf Point, Montana
Crime: Illegal storage and transportation of hazardous waste
Statutes Violated: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) (RCRA)
Hazardous Materials: Sulfuric acid, caustic potash, caustic soda beads
Total Waste: 1,801 gallons, with 1,258 gallons classified as hazardous
Restitution: $51,594 (total between both defendants)
Investigation Agency: Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID)

This case serves as a stark reminder of the potential environmental and financial consequences of improper hazardous waste management. The EPA continues to prioritize enforcement of RCRA regulations to protect communities and the environment from the dangers posed by illegal waste disposal practices.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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