Vacherie waste operator arrested for violations
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VACHERIE — A Vacherie waste disposal operator was arrested and jailed for what 23rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky Babin called “the most egregious environmental violations I have ever seen.”
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, assisted by Babin’s office and the State Police, arrested Charles Toth, 45, whose business is at 2141 Toth St.
He is accused of knowingly operating his facility in a manner that allowed for “systematic illegal discharges” and for having “submitted documents containing false material statements,” said James Brock, assistant to the DEQ secretary.
Toth was arrested Wednesday and booked into the St. James Parish Prison with 89 felony counts, Brock said.
Toth “is accused, among other violations, of routinely dumping loads of untreated wastewater on the ground, bypassing the treatment facility at his place of business in Vacherie,” Brock said.
Toth faces a fine of up to $50,000 per day of violation and imprisonment for up to three years on the permit violations, Brock said.
Additionally, for submitting false documents, Toth faces a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to two years, he said.
“Dumping untreated wastewater is against our mission of protecting human health and the environment,” said Jeffery Nolan, manager of DEQ’s Criminal Investigation Division.
“There is nothing worse than potentially contaminating a drinking water supply,” Nolan said. “He (Toth) was benefiting economically by not following his permit, which is unfair to those businesses that follow the rules.”
Babin said Toth’s operation was permitted to treat wastewater, solvents, hydrocarbons and oil sludge.
“He is going to be charged with intentional discharge (of pollutants) and misrepresentation,” Babin said.
“My main concern in this case is public safety,” the district attorney said. “I want this mess cleaned up.”
Babin said he expects to file a bill of information in the case during the next several days.
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