Latest news with #AdamGustafson
UPI
16-07-2025
- UPI
New England ship company admits to dumping oil waste in Gulf of Mexico
July 16 (UPI) -- A Connecticut-based shipping company pleaded guilty to pollution charges after crew members on one of its ships deliberately dumped more than 10,000 gallons of oil waste into the Gulf of Mexico. On Tuesday, company officials of Eagle Ship Management LLC pleaded guilty to violations of the 1980 Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and was given a fine of more than $1.7 million. "Today's announcement sends a clear message intended to deter deliberate pollution," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for Louisiana's Eastern District. "This office will continue to work with our agency partners to enforce the laws that were designed to protect U.S. ports and waters." In addition, the Stamford-based ESM would be ordered to serve a four-year probation term to include an external company audit by an independent source if court-approved. The U.S. Coast Guard initiated its investigation after a crew member on the foreign-flagged bulk vessel "Gannet Bulker" sent it a tip on social media in March 2021 soon after the purported incident near the Mississippi River's mouth, according to court documents. ESM admitted in its guilty plea that Gannet ship officers "engaged in a variety of obstructive acts to conceal the internal flooding that was caused by a botched repair." Records show the unidentified crewman said the Gannet's engine room flooded and that the ship's oil-contaminated bilge pumper offloaded the toxic waste overnight. Flooded bilges can pose a number of dangers to a ship and its crew. Federal officials noted that the incident took place without required safety equipment or proper bookkeeping. "The criminal conduct involved here was serious, including intentional pollution and a deliberate coverup," said Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney General Adam Gustafson of DOJ's environment and natural resources division. Meanwhile, the ship's unidentified captain was prosecuted and later sentence to a year and a day behind bars for his role in the incident. Officials stated that among the obstructive acts was retaliation against a whistleblower with a known identity to the company. They added that Gannet's senior officer and other crew members lied to Coast Guard officials, destroyed control room information as evidence and "created false and backdated personnel evaluations intended to discredit the whistleblower." It's the second known similar instance in recent years of a ship offloading oil into the waters off the coast of New Orleans. In September, the captain of a Turkish ship was given eight months in prison and his company fined $2 million after crew, likewise, rid their carrier of oil waste into open water. Sentencing for Connecticut's Eagle Ship Management is scheduled for October 16.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Major automaker pleads guilty in fraud scheme targeting US customers: 'Will be held criminally accountable'
A subsidiary of Toyota has pleaded guilty to skirting pollution laws and conspiracy to defraud consumers in the United States. The Department of Justice announced that it slapped Hino Motors with a hefty fine, but questions remain about its long-term impact. On March 19, the DOJ announced it had ordered Hino Motors to serve five years' probation — banning it from importing its diesel engines — as part of a guilty plea after charging the Japanese truck and engine manufacturer with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., to violate the Clean Air Act, to engage in wire fraud, and to smuggle goods into the country. Hino will also pay more than $1.6 billion in penalties. According to the government, the company submitted false applications for engine certification approvals between 2010 and 2019, conducting improper emissions tests, altering and fabricating data, and failing to disclose software that could impact pollution-control systems. The company "imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022," per the DOJ. However, Reuters reported Hino falsified emissions data for some of its products as far back as 2003, according to a panel commissioned by the company itself. "By pleading guilty, Hino Motors, Ltd. has admitted to orchestrating a deliberate and years-long fraud scheme that put profit over principle," James C. Barnacle Jr., acting assistant director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, said in a statement. Hino's business practices not only gave it an unfair advantage over businesses that adhered to U.S. regulations to limit pollution, as explained in the announcement by Adam Gustafson, acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division. The company's actions also meant buyers likely had skewed perceptions about how much pollution was associated with their purchasing decisions. The misinformation might have set back their sustainability goals without warning, raising questions about the potential long-term impact of the deception on community and environmental health. Electric vehicles are more eco-friendly than gas-powered vehicles, as they don't spew any tailpipe pollution. However, as the Environmental Protection Agency notes, modern regulations ensure diesel engines are cleaner than they were in years past. This is particularly important because diesel engines produce ground-level ozone, which can damage crops, and acid rain that can contaminate our waterways and thus enter our food chain. The exhaust is also connected to respiratory problems and heart disease. According to Reuters, Hino President Satoshi Ogiso said in January that the company reviewed and improved its compliance and oversight practices. Could America stop using oil and gas by 2050? For sure No way Only certain states could I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The fact that Hino lost around $1.5 billion in the second quarter to cover litigation costs, along with the hefty fine and lost business in the U.S. during the five-year probationary period, may prove to be a deterrent and push Hino to live up to those promises of improvement. "Today's plea and sentencing demonstrates that companies who intentionally evade our nation's environmental laws, including by fabricating data to feign compliance with those laws, deserve punishment and will be held criminally accountable," Jeffrey Hall, acting assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said in the DOJ release. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court declines to hear appeal in landmark youth-led climate case
March 24 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal request in a landmark climate case brought by nearly two dozen young people almost a decade ago. The high-court justices denied the request for certiorari filed in Juliana vs. U.S., a case filed by 21 American youth in September of 2015 asking the courts to prevent the United States from permitting, authorizing and subsidizing fossil fuels on the grounds that knowingly worsening climate change is a violation of the plaintiffs' fundamental rights to life, liberty and property. The case made its way to the Supreme Court as an appeals court in 2020 ruled against the youth, stating the relief the plaintiffs seek "is beyond our constitutional power" and their "impressive case for redress must be presented to the political branches of the government." "The U.S. Supreme Court's cert denial brings this long saga to a conclusion," acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement. "Through ENRD's work, the Justice Department is enforcing our nation's environmental laws and safeguarding America's air, water and natural resources. Cases like Juliana distract from those enforcement efforts." Though now dead, the impact of Juliana vs. United States continues to be felt as it sparked a youth-led environmental movement to demand governmental change to prevent the worst effects of the impending crisis while facing staunch government opposition. It has inspired dozens of similar youth-led lawsuits across the globe and in the United States, securing climate victories at local levels, including in Montana and Hawaii. "Ultimately, we didn't get the decision we wanted today, but we've had many wins along the way," Miko Vergun, a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement. "For almost 10 years, we've stood up for the rights of present and future generations, demanding a world where we can not only survive but thrive. We've faced extreme resistance by the federal government, yet we've never wavered in our resolve." "We've shown the world that young people will not be ignored, and I'm incredibly proud of the impact Juliana vs. United States has made."
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Four Dominican nationals sentenced for smuggling, drowning tropical birds
March 11 (UPI) -- Four Dominican nationals have been sentenced for attempting to smuggle tropical birds from San Juan, Puerto Rico, into the Dominican Republic, and then drowning them to "cover up their crime." Many of the birds -- including white-crowned parrots, golden-capped parakeets and green-cheeked conures -- are internationally protected species. Red-crowned parrots, also found in the defendants' possession, have the highest level of international protection due to their risk of extinction. According to court documents, the four Dominican nationals were traveling with more than 100 tropical birds aboard a boat on May 3. They did not have wildlife export licenses. As the U.S. Coast Guard approached the boat north of Puerto Rico, they saw the crew throwing wooden cages overboard. The USCG boarded the boat and recovered 113 dead birds from the ocean. "Defendants were caught in the act of smuggling tropical birds from Puerto Rico, and then drowned them to cover up their crime," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Whether it's wildlife or other natural resources or goods, smuggling is illegal." Franglais Varela De Jesús was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, while Domingo Heureau Altagracia was sentenced to eight months in prison. Waner Balbuena and Juan Gravel Ramírez Cedano were each sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison. "This was a unique case for our Coast Guard crews who usually enforce fisheries laws to protect living marine resources in and around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The successful prosecution and sentencing in this case are a testimony to our strong partnerships and collaboration to secure our maritime borders and to deter illicit trafficking that fuels criminal enterprises," said Commander Matthew Romano, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief. "In this case, endangering the welfare of animals for personal gain was not only cruel -- it was illegal," said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. "I commend the excellent collaboration of the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting our wildlife," Muldrow added. "Because of their hard work, justice was served."
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Spring Hill man gets 7 years in prison for dog fighting
SPRING HILL, Fla. (WFLA) — A man from Spring Hill was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on Tuesday for dog fighting. Jose Miguel Carrillo previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to violate the federal Animal Welfare Act and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lakeland black swan theft suspect turns himself in: PCSO A search carried out at his Spring Hill home revealed a blood-stained dog fighting box, a skin stapler, syringes, injectable veterinary medications and a gun. 10 dogs were seized from the property, most of which were later adopted. 'To its core, dog fighting is a cruel and criminal exploitation of animals for entertainment,' Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement. 'Today's sentence sends a strong deterrent message that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these cases.' Carrillo conspired to purchase and breed dogs for fights. He staged dog fights at his home and travelled to fights throughout Florida, Massachusetts and Conneticut. 'Exploiting and endangering the welfare of animals for personal gain is cruel and abhorrent,' Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement. 'Because of the hard work of our law enforcement partners, justice was served.' To report animal fighting crimes in your community, contact local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at or 1-800-424-9121. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
