NATIONAL CITY : Firm Indicted on Pollution Charge
A National City company and its general manager were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly violating the federal Clean Water Act, authorities said Tuesday.
Western Industrial & Marine Services and Donald M. Baker Jr. were charged with the impermissible discharge of pollutants and with a failure to report the discharge of a hazardous substance, Assistant U.S. Atty. Melanie Pierson said.
The indictment alleged the company dumped chromic acid into Paleta Creek last February and that it also released 10 pounds of a mixture of hazardous substances.
After dumping the chemicals, the company failed to immediately notify federal authorities, as required by law, Pierson said. Western Industrial & Marine Services uses chromic acid in hard chrome parts, hydraulic and machinery repairs, and grinding.
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