Ronald Carey Meinzer, Clean Water Act Violation, Pennsylvania 2006

Bristol Township, PA – A former employee of the Bristol Township Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was sentenced in 2006 for intentionally circumventing environmental regulations and tampering with evidence, according to federal court records. Ronald Carey Meinzer directed plant personnel to illegally dispose of raw sewage and falsify environmental reports, a scheme uncovered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and pursued through criminal enforcement.

The incident stemmed from a digester overflow at the WWTP in August 2005. Instead of properly reporting and remediating the spill, Meinzer allegedly ordered employees to wash the spilled raw sewage down a storm sewer. This storm sewer directly drains into the Delaware River, a critical waterway for both ecological health and public water supply. This action constituted a blatant violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA), designed to protect the nation’s waterways from pollution.

Further compounding the offense, Meinzer also directed employees to manipulate water samples collected at the facility. The purpose of this tampering was to conceal the illegal discharge and present misleading data to regulatory agencies, effectively covering up the environmental damage. Investigators found evidence suggesting a deliberate attempt to mislead both the EPA and the public regarding the true state of wastewater discharge from the Bristol Township WWTP.

The EPA’s investigation, conducted in conjunction with the Department of Justice, revealed a pattern of intentional misconduct. Meinzer was initially charged with two counts on August 23, 2005, under the Clean Water Act: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) for knowingly violating the Act, and 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(4) for making false statements to federal authorities. He subsequently pled guilty to both charges on April 27, 2006.

On October 23, 2006, Meinzer received a sentence of 36 months probation, including a six-month period of home detention. In addition to the probationary period, the court ordered him to complete 200 hours of community service, pay a $200 special assessment fee, and remit a federal fine totaling $1,000. While the financial penalties are relatively modest, the case serves as a stark reminder that deliberate environmental crimes carry significant legal consequences.

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Key Facts

Defendant: Ronald Carey Meinzer
Location: Bristol Township, Pennsylvania
Crime: Illegal discharge of raw sewage into the Delaware River and tampering with water samples.
Statutes Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) & 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(4) – Clean Water Act violations.
Penalty: 36 months probation (6 months home detention), 200 hours community service, $200 special assessment, $1,000 fine.
Date of Plea: April 27, 2006

GrimyTimes will continue to follow cases of environmental crime and hold those who endanger our communities accountable.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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