Appendix — Dee v. United States
Supreme Court brief1991
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IN THE
Supreme Court of the United States
October Term, 1990
No.
WILLIAM DEE,
ROBERT LENTZ,
and
CARL GEPP
Petitioners,
Vv.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Respondent
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to
the United States Court of Appeals
for the Fourth Circuit
APPENDIX TO PETITION
Richard Karceski
White & Karceski
305 West Chesapeake Avenue
Towson, Maryland 21204
(301) 583-1325
Attorney for
William Dee
een
Brief Printing Specialist, 1001 E. Main Street, Suite 210
Richmond, Virginia 23219, (804) 644-0700
4/2,
II.
iil.
APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS
Opinion of the Fourth Circuit. i
Statutes Involved............xxxiii
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6903....xxxiii
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6928.....xxxiv
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6961......xXxXXV
Proposed RCRA Amendment
[H.R. LOSS Jeo ccccccccccccccecs xxxvi
So 6k BA A rrr.
1. OPINION OF THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 89-5606
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
WILLIAM DEE; ROBERT LENTZ; CARL GEPP,
Defendants-Appellants
Appeal from the United States District
Court for the District of Maryland, at
Baltimore. John R. Hargrove, District
Judge. (CR-88-211-HAR)
Argued: February 8, 1990
Decided: September 4, 1990
Before SPROUSE and CHAPMAN, Circuit
Judges, and WARD, Senior United States
District Judge for the Middle District
of North Carolina, sitting by
designation.
Affirmed by published opinion. Judge
Sprouse wrote the opinion, in which
Judge Chapman and Senior Judge Ward
joined.
SPROUSE, Circuit Judge:
William Dee, Robert Lentz, and
Carl Gepp (hereafter collectively
"defendants") appeal the judgment of the
district court entered after a jury
trial finding them guilty of multiple
violations of the criminal provisions of
the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act ("RCRA® or “the Act"), 42 U.S.C.
Secs. 6901 et seg.
I.
RCRA provides a comprehensive
scheme for regulating storage, transport
and disposal of hazardous’ waste,
requiring that it be managed to prevent
1 The district court suspended
each defendant’s sentence and placed
each on probation for three years with a
condition of 1,000 hours of community
service work.
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leakage, spillage, hazardous chemical
reactions, and migration of toxins into
the soil, water, or air. In addition to
adsinietretive provisions, the Act
creates criminal liability for persons
who knowingly handle hazardous waste
without a RCRA permit. 42 U.S.C. Sec.
6928(d) .2
The defendant engineers were
civilian employees of the United States
Army assigned to the Chemical Research,
Development, and Engineering Center at
Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. All
the defendants were involved in
development of chemical warfare systems.
é Paraphrased, the portion
pertinent to this case reads: "Any
person who knowingly treats, stores, or
disposes of any hazardous’ waste
identified or listed under this
subchapter without a RCRA permit shall,
upon conviction, be subject to fine
and/or imprisonment." 42 U.S.C. Sec.
6928(d) (2) (a).
iii
“ oe at tee a
Gepp, a chemical engineer, was
responsible for operations at and
maintenance of the Pilot Plant;? Dee and
Lentz were Gepp’s superiors. Counts One
through Three of the superseding
indictment charged the defendants with
violating the Act by illegally storing,
treating and disposing of hazardous
wastes at the Pilot Plant. Count Four
focused on violations alleged to have
occurred at the "Old Pilot Plant",4 a
separate building complex that was
closed in 1978.°
+ The Pilot Plant complex
included a four-story laboratory
building, an administrative building,
and storage sheds.
4 ‘The Old Pilot Plant included a
laboratory building, an office building,
scrubbing towers and a storage area.
5 A fifth count charged
defendants with violation of the Clean
Water Act. 33 U.S.C. Secs. 1251 et. seg.
The jury could not reach a verdict "ith
respect to this count.
iv
Aberdeen Proving Ground
acquired an umbrella RCRA permit for
management of hazardous waste materials
at the Proving Ground. Under the permit,
three separate areas at Aberdeen were
designated for storage of hazardous
wastes; however, the permit did not
allow storage, treatment, or disposal of
hazardous wastes at the Pilot Plant or
the Olid Pilot Plant. Aberdeen in 1982
promulgated a regulation, APG 200-2,
that established "policies ana
procedures for management and disposal
of solid and hazardous waste materials
at Aberdeen Proving Ground" and mandated
compliance with all federal, state,
interstate, and local regulations,
specifically referencing both the RCRA
statute and RCRA regulations.
ds
APG 200-2 directed all tenant
organizations, such as the Center, to
report any waste material "suspected to
be toxic, carcinogenic, caustic,
ignitable, or reactive" by filling out a
form known as a “hard card." Upon
receipt of the hard card, designated
Aberdeen organizations were responsible
for transporting hazardous wastes to the
permitted® storage areas. APG 200-2 was
specific and thorough, listing various
individual chemicals and classes of
chemicals that were likely to be
hazardous, and reiterating that
hazardous wastes were to be managed in
accordance with all applicable laws.
6 In regulatory parlance and as
used in this opinion, “permitted" means
an activity for which a valid permit has
been issued. Conversely, "“unpermitted"
means the activity is not authorized by
the facility’s permit, or that the
facility does not have a permit.
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In 1982, the Center issued a
standard operating procedure, which in
1984 was reissued as a regulation known
as CRDCR 710-1. It required
identification of all RCRA wastes and
directed that they be handled in
accordance with the turn-in procedures
of APG 200-2. Waste chemicals were
defined as "those substances which have
deteriorated to the point where they are
no longer usable, are contaminated, or
cannot be stored safely."
As heads of their respective
departments, defendants were responsible
for ensuring that the provisions of APG
200-2, CRDCR 710-1, and RCRA were
fulfilled within their departments, and
that their subordinates were aware of
and in compliance with those
regulations. Defendants admitted
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knowledge of APG 200-2, CRDCR 710-1, and
RCRA.
II.
The defendants first contend
that they are immune from the criminal
provisions of RCRA because of their
status as federal employees working at a
federal facility. Because 42 U.S.C. SEc.
6928(d) defines those liable as "any
person who" knowingly violates the Act,
and because neither the United States
nor an agency of the United States is
defined as a person, defendants maintain
they cannot be "perscns" in the sense
contemplated by Sec. 6928(d). They
assert that by reason of their
employment by the federal government
they are entitled to sovereign immunity,
meaning they are immune from this
criminal prosecution.
viii
There simply is no merit to
this suggestion. The Act defines
"person" as
an individual, trust, firm, joint
stock company, corporation
(including a government
corporation), partnership,
association, State, municipality,
commission, political subdivision
of a State, or any interstate body.
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6903(15). The definition
begins with an inclusion of "an
individual" as a person. The defendants,
of course, were indicted, tried, and
convicted as individuals, not as agents
of the government. Suffice it to say
that sovereign immunity does not attach
to individual government employees so as
to immunize them from prosecution for
their criminal acts. ‘Ss a
Littleton, 414 U.S. 488, 503 (1974); cf.
Butz v. Economou, 438 U.S. 478, 506
(1978) ("all individuals, whatever their
ix
position in government, are subject to
federal law"). Even where certain
federal officers enjoy a degree of
immunity for a particular sphere of
official actions, there is no general
immunity from criminal prosecution for
actions taken while serving their
office. United States v. Hastings, 681
F.2d 706, 710-12 (11th Cir. 1982) ("A
judge no less than any other man is
subject to the process of the criminal
law"), cert.denied, 459 U.S. 1203
(1983); United States v. Diggs, 613 F.2d
988, 1001 (D.C. Cir. 1979) ("Article I,
Sec. 5 does not immunize a member of
Congress from the operations of the
criminal law"), cert. denied, 446 U.S.
982 (1980). See generally United States
Vv. Isaacs, 493 F.2d 1124, 1142-44 (7th
Cir.) ("Criminal conduct is not part of
x
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the necessary functions performed by
public cofficials") cert. denied, 417
U.S. 976 (1974).?
IItt
Defendants next contend that
they did not "knowingly" commit the
crimes proscribed by RCRA. See 42 U.S.C.
Sec. 6928(d). They claim that there was
insufficient evidence to show that they
knew violation of RCRA was a crime;
also, that they were unaware that the
chemicals they managed were hazardous
wastes.
7 Because defendants were
prosecuted as individuals, their
argument as to the scope of Congresses’
waiver of immunity under 42 U.S.C. Sec.
6961 is inapposite. The same may be said
of their reliance on California v.
Walters, 751 F.2d 977 (9th Cir. 1984),
which involved an attempt by the City of
Los Angeles to prosecute a federal
agency and its administrator under
xi
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The Supreme Court has
repeatedly rejected similar arguments in
cases involving recognition of dangerous
materials, applying the familiar
principle that “ignorance of the law is
no defense." United States v.
International Minerals & Chem. Corp.,,
402 U.S. 558, 563 (1971); United States
v. Freed, 401 U.S. 601, 607-610 (1971);
United States Dotterweich, 320 U.S. 277,
280-81 (1943), and United States v.
Balint, 258 U.S. 250 (1922). We agree
with the Eleventh Circuit that this
time-honored rule applies to
[continuation of footnote 7}
California hazardous waste law. The
Ninth Circuit held that, although 42
U.S.C. Sec. 6961 directs federal
agencies to comply with state hazardous
waste laws, Congress did not intend to
waive the United States’ sovereign
immunity to criminal sanctions.
Walters does not apply here for two
reasons. First, unlike the case sub
xii
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prosecutions under RCRA. United States
v. Hayes Int’] Corp., 786 F.2d 1499,
1502-03 (1ith Cir. 1986); see also
United States v. Hoflin, 880 F.2d 1033,
1036-39 (9th Cir. 1989), cert. denied,
110 S.Ct. 1143 (1990); cf. United States
vy. Johnson & Towers, Inc., 741 F.2d 662,
669 (1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1208
(1985). "(Wjhere, as here. ° o*
dangerous or deleterious devices or
products or obnoxious waste materials
are involved, the probability of
regulation is so great that anyone who
is aware that he is in possession of
{continuation of footnote 7]
judice, Walters involved an action
against a federal agency and its
administrator in his official capacity.
The Walters court expressly warned: "Our
decision is compelled by the parties’
agreement that the action is essentially
one against the United Stats. Our
holding in this case does not
necessarily apply in all cases to
prosecutions against federal officers or
federal agencies." Jd. at 979.
xiii
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them or dealing with them must _ be
presumed to be aware of the regulation."
International Minerals, 402 U.S. at 565.
Therefore, the government did
not need to prove defendants knew
violation of RCRA was a crime, nor that
regulations existed listing and
identifying the chemical wastes as RCRA
hazardous wastes. However, we agree with
defendants that the knowledge element of
Sec. 6928(d) does extend to knowledge of
the general hazardous character of the
wastes. Among its jury instructions, the
district court included one that
[continuation of footnote 7]
Second, Walters involved an attempt
by a state to enforce state law against
a federal agency: and its officer. In
certain circumstances, federal officers
may avoid criminal prosecution by a
state when the alleged crime arose from
performance of federal duties.
Cunningham v. Neagle, 135 U.S. 1, 75-76
(1890); Morgan v. California, 742 F.2d
728, 731 (9th Cir. 1984). The supremacy
xiv
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advised:
The government must _ prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that each
defendant knew that the substances
involved were chemicals. However,
the government need not establish
that the defendants knew that these
chemicals were listed or identified
by law as hazardous waste...
While these statements are correct, it
was error to instruct the jury that
defendants had to know the substances
involved were chemicals, without
indicating that they also had to know
the chemicals were hazardous. See
‘Hoflin, 880 F.2d ‘at 1039; Johnson. &
Towers, 741 F.2d at 668; compare United
States v. Greer, 850 F.2d 1447, 1450
[continuation of footnote 7]
Clause concerns which give rise to
Neagle-type immunity are not implicated
in this case, which involves prosecution
for federal crimes by the federal
government.
XV
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(11th Cir. 1988) (jury instructed that
defendant had to know the chemical waste
had potential to harm others or the
environment). However, we think the
error was harmless. The record reflects
overwhelming evidence that defendants
were aware they were dealing with
hazardous chemicals. See Pope _v.
Illinois, 481 U.S. 497, 501-03 (1987);
Rose _v. Clark, 478 U.S. 570, 576-79
(1986) (conviction should stand if the
reviewing court can confidently say that
no rational juror, if properly
instructed, could have found for
defendant) .8 Contrary to defendants’
8 We find no merit to the other
contentions raised by the defendants in
connection with the district court’s
instruction. As a whole, the
instructions "fairly and adequately
state[d] the pertinent legal principles
involved." See Hogg’s Oyster Co. v.
United States, 676 F.2d 1015, 1019 (4th
Cir. 1982).
xvi
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assertions, the evidence also cleariy
established that the materials they
handled were "wastes" as that term is
used in the statute. ?
IV
In addition to the preceding
general challenges to their convictions,
defendants raise issues specific to each
count.
Count One charged defendants
with unpermitted storage and cisposal of
a hazardous waste--dimethyl polysulfide-
-at the Pilot Plant from June i983 to
9 Defendants’ self-serving
argument that materials were not wastes
until they declared them wastes is
without merit. Furthermore, the evidence
demonstrates that defendants considered
some if not all of the chemicals listed
under each count to be wastes because
they ordered their disposal.
xvid
ct ARN at it ate
August 1984. Gepp and Lentz were found
guilty of this count.
Dimethyl polysulifide is a
chemical the Center had considered as a
component for a binary chemical
weapon.1° puring the 1970s, the Center
produced dimethyl polysulfide at the
Pilot Plant and also purchased some from
chemical companies. In 1980, 200
canisters of dimethyl polysulfide were
brought to the Pilot Plant from Fort
Sill, Oklahoma, because they were
leaking. All the dimethyl polysulfide
was stored on the fourth floor of the
Pilot Plant. Included were batches that
10 Binary weapons make use of two
chemicals, neither of which is lethal by
itself, but which combine to form a
lethal agent.
xviii
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had tested to be "bad" or "off-spec."
By 1981, the chemical weapon
program which would have used the
dimethyl polysulfide was cancelled. No
more dimethyl polysulfide was produced,
and no projects which would use dimethyl
polysulfide were planned. In May 1983, a
safety inspector warned Lentz and Gepp
that the roof of the Pilot Plant might
collapse and that they should move the
dimethyl polysulfide, but no action was
taken. Four months later, a corner of
the Pilot Plant did collapse, crushing
several drums so that dimethyl
polysulfide spilled and drained into the
floor drains.
For the next several months,
employees complained frequently to Lentz
and Gepp about noxious odors from the
dimethyl polysulfide, but not until
xix
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spring of 1984 did Gepp direct employees
to move the containers of dimethyl
polysulfide outside and to fill out hard
cards on them. Gepp did not turn in the
hard cards to the proper Aberdeen office
until August 1984.
Defendants contend that
dimethyl polysulfide is not a hazardous
waste. It is not a listed hazardous
waste,21 but the government’s theory at
trial was that the dimethyl polysulfide
handled by defendants came within the
definition of a "characteristic"
hazardous waste, because its "flash
point" was less than 140° F.22
Defendants argue that there was
insufficient evidence to prove that
11 See 40 C.F.R. Part 261,
Subpart D.
12 See 40 C.F.R. Sec. 261.21.
xx
Ce ee ee
dimethyl polysulfide had a flash point
of less than 140° F, because a defense
witness testified that he had conducted
tests on dimethyl polysulfide which
indicated flash points of 154° to 163°
F. Cross-examination of the witness,
however, reflected irregularities in his
testing procedures. Additionally, the
government introduced the following
evidence: a Material Safety Data Sheet
supplied by a manufacturer of dimethyi
polysulfide indicating a flash point of
104° F; testimony by the person who had
transported the dimethyl polysulfide
from Fort sill that he had seen a
Material Safety Data Sheet listing the
flash point as 124° F; and the "hard
card" which Gepp filled out on the
dimethyl polysulfide listing the flash
point as being between 61° and 100° F.
xxi
In our view this evidence easily
supports the jury verdict which
implicitly found that dimethyl
polysulfide was a characteristic
hazardous waste. Cf. Greer, 850 F.2d at
1452 (evidence sufficient to support
jury’s conclusion that waste material
was 1,1,1 trichloromethane).
Defendants also contend the
dimethyl polysulfide was not a "waste"
because it was still usable, i.e., that
it was not prudent to discard it because
it conceivably could be of value to the
weapons program at some time in the
future. This argument is controverted by
the fact that the defendants disposed of
the dimethyl polysulfide in 1984.13
13 It is perhaps worth noting
that RCRA does not require disposal of
hazardous wastes. Prudent retention of a
waste in the hope that it will someday
xxii
PR ten
Count Two charged defendants
with unpermitted storage and disposal of
hazardous wastes at the Pilot Plant
compound from June 1983 to April 1986.
Only Gepp was convicted of the
violations alleged in this count.
The United States Coast Guard
had developed a program called the
Chemical Hazard Response Information
System (CHRIS) project. As part of the
project, the Coast Guard contracted with
the Center to study various hazardous
chemicals in order to develop a manual
for effectively responding to spills of
those chemicals. At Gepp’s direction,
{continuation of footnote 13]
be a treasure is permissible if it is
stored in accordance with a RCRA permit.
See 40 C.F.R. Sec. 261.2(e) (2) (iii).
xxiii
|
many excess and leftover CHRIS chemicals
were placed in a shed in the Pilot Plant
complex. Others were stored at various
locations about the Pilot Plant.
On a number of occasions from
1980 to 1986, Gepp was informed by
employees and safety inspectors that
there were problems with the. stored
CHRIS chemicals, including corrosion and
breakage of containers, leaks and
spills, generation of fumes, and
proximity of incompatible chemicals.
Gepp either made no response to these
warnings or merely told staff to clean
it up as best they could. Finally, in
1986, the commander of the Center
ordered operations at the Pilot Plant
halted and the complex cleaned up.
Hundreds of different chemicals were
removed and taken to the Aberdeen
xxiv
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hazardous waste storage facility. Other
chemicals had to be destroyed by
detonation because they were too
unstable to be transported.
Gepp concedes that the
chemicals were hazardous and that there
was no used for them, but he asserts
there was “little evidence" that he
directed the storage and disposal
operations. The government’s evidence,
however, shows that Gepp was in charge
of operations at the Pilot Plant and
that Gepp originally ordered the
placement of leftover CHRIS chemicals in
the storage shed. Gepp repeatedly
ignored warnings about the hazardous
condition of the CHRIS chemicals and
other chemicals that were improperly
stored about the Pilot Plant. He
undertook no actions to comply with RCRA
XXV
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a
in the storage and disposal of the
chemicals prior to the 1986 cleanup.
Defendants assert there was
insufficient evidence that management of
the CHRIS chemicals was an environmental
crime, because "‘Sloppy’ storage
procedures is [sic] not a crime." They
are simply wrong. Negligent and inept
storage of hazardous wastes is one of
the evils RCRA was designed to prevent,
and Sec. 6928(d) makes such egregious
conduct a crime.
Count Three charged defendants
with unpermitted treatment and disposal
of hazardous wastes at the Pilot Plant
from June 1983 to March 1986.14 Lentz
14 count Two involved storage and
disposal of leftover CHRIS chemicals at
the Pilot Plant. Count Three involved
separate treatment and disposal of other
chemicals at the Pilot Plant.
xxvi
Senenameieneenel realli hari erent atl calles. ~<a ote
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and Gepp were found guilty on this
count.
Several sumps which collected
materials from laboratories were located
in the Pilot Plant. Periodically, the
contents of the sumps were pumped to
"neutralization tanks."15 Between June
1983 and March 1986, numerous hazardous
waste chemicals were dumped into the
sumps at Gepp’s direction. Additionally,
at the direction of Gepp and Lentz,
drums containing hazardous’ waste
chemicals were cleaned by dumping the
chemical onto the ground at the Pilot
Plant, then rinsing the drum with
acetone, alcohol or water, and dumping
15 The tanks were able to
neutralize simple acids and bases, but
did not provide treatment for other
types of hazardous waste.
xxvii
the rinsate onto the ground. Also, a
Pilot plant incinerator which was not
permitted for incineration of hazardous
waste was used to dispose of methyl
chloride, which is a listed hazardous
waste.
Lentz and Gepp contend that
any disposal of hazardous wastes into
the Pilot Plant sumps was exempt from
the requirements of RCRA. The definition
of solid waste excludes mixtures of
domestic sewage and other wastes which
go to a "publicly-owned treatment
works." 40 C.F.R. Sec. 261.4(a). The
Pilot Plant sumps fed into
neutralization tanks that were connected
to a sewer system that fed into a sewage
treatment plant. Defendants therefore
Claim disposal into the Pilot Plant
xxviii
sumps was exempt from regulation under
RCRA.
Defendants have not pointed to
evidence in the record establishing the
factors of a Sec. 261.4(a) exclusion.1?®
However, we need not decide the issue,
because defendants do not dispute that
the government proved other unpermitted
treatment and disposal of hazardous
wastes at the Pilot plant--dumping of
wastes on the ground and incineration of
methyl chloride.?7
Count Four charged defendants
with unpermitted storage and disposal of
16 To come within this exclusion,
the wastes from the Pilot Plant would
have to mix with sanitary wastes from
residences prior to entering the sewage
treatment facility. See
Rescate De La Salud vy.
Aqueduct & Sewer Auth., 888 F.2d 180,
184-86 (ist Cir. 1989) (domestic sewage
exclusion requires that the sanitary
waste come from residences as opposed to
xxix
NR tet ote,
hazardous wastes at the Old Pilot Plant
from June 1983 to August 1986. Lentz and
Dee were found guilty on this count.
The Old Pilot Plant had been
used for bench-scale laboratory
experiments. Operations there ceased in
1978, with chemicals left in storage in
various buildings. Beginning in 1981,
when they became responsible for the Old
Pilot plant, Lentz and Dee were warned
on several occasions by safety
inspectors that improper storage of
chemicals at the Old Pilot Plant was
creating a hazard and that chemicals
[continuation of footnote 16]
bathrooms used by workers); cert.
denied, 100 S. ct. 1476 (1990).
Furthermore, the sewage plant would have
to be a "publicly owned treatment
works," as that term is defined by RCRA.
See 40 C.F.R. Sec. 260.10.
17 We also need not reach
appellants’ argument that RCRA chemicals
were not detected at "hazardous levels"
xxXX
should be removed in accordance with APG
200-2. Although Lentz had an employee
draft a cleanup plan for the Old Pilot
Plant in 1983, hazardous waste chemicals
remained in storage there until 1986.
Dee and Lentz admitted at trial that
they were aware of storage problems at
the Olid Pilot Plant; Dee stated he did
02>? eter attaninate
not consider cleanup of the building a
priority.
Lentz and Dee contest their
convictions under Count Four claiming
that they could not “inherit an
RE eA aah SNe A eh cial . ek winter Oe
environmental crime." This argument
borders on the frivolous. The indictment
charged defendants with unpermitted
[continuation of footnote 17]
in the sumps. We note, however, that
RCRA flatly prohibits unpermitted
disposal eof hazardous wastes. The
concentration of the wastes after
disposal has no bearing on whether the
disposal was illegal,
xxxi
storage of hazardous wastes at the Old
Pilot plant from June 1983 to August
1986. There is substantial evidence in
the record that during this time period
defendants were responsible for
maintenance of the Old Pilot Plant, that
they were aware of the hazardous
condition of chemical storage there, and
that they failed to ensure that the
hazardous wastes were managed in
accordance with RCRA. Defendants may
have inherited an environmental problen,
but their criminal culpability arises
solely from their own ongoing failure to
comply with RCRA during the period they
were responsible for the Old Pilot
Plant.
IX
In view of the above, the
judgment of the district court is
xxxii AFFIRMED.
il. STATUTES OR REGULATIONS INVOLVED
(pertinent parts only, emphases retained)
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6903. Definitions.
-_ x
(4) The term "Federal agency"
means any department, agency, or other
instrumentality of the Federal
Government, any independent agency or
establishment of the Federal Government
including any Government corporation,
and the Government Printing Office.
zee
(15) The term "person" means an
individual, trust, firm, joint stock
company, corporation (including a
government corporation), partnership,
association, State, municipality,
commission, political subdivision of a
State, or any interstate body.
xxxiii
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6928. Penalties.
(d) Criminal penalties.
{It shall be a criminal violation
when any person]...
(2) knowingly treets, stores,
or disposes of any hazardous
waste identified or listed
under this subtitle. * * *
/ (A) without a permit
under this subtitle or
pursuant to title I of
the Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries
Act [33 U.S.C. Secs. 1411
et seq.)
xk
shall, upon conviction, be subject to a
fine of not more than $50,000 for each
day of violation, or imprisonment not to
exceed two years (five years in the case
of a violation of paragraph (1) or (2)),
or both. If the conviction is for a
violation committed after a first
conviction of such person under this
paragraph, the maximum punishment under
the respective paragraph shall be
doubled with respect to both fine and
imprisonment.
XxXXiV
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:
*
7
Lean
——ot |
42 U.S.C. Sec. 6961. Application of
Federal, State, and local law to Federal
facilities.
Each department, agency, and
instrumentality of the executive,
legislative, and judicial branches of
the Federal Government (1) having
jurisdiction over any solid waste
management facility or disposal site, or
(2) engaged in any activity resulting,
or which may result, in the disposal or
management of solid waste or hazardous
waste shall be subject to, and comply
with, all Federal, State, interstate,
and local requirements, both substantive
and procedural (including any
requirement for permits or reporting or
any provisions or injunctive relief and
such sanctions as may be imposed by a
court to enforce such relief),
respecting control and abatement of
solid waste or hazardous waste disposal
in the same manner, and to the same
extent, as any person is subject to such
requirements, including the payment of
reasonable service charges. Neither the
United States, nor any agent, employee,
or officer thereof, shall be immune or
exempt from any process or sanction of
any State or Federal Court with respect
to tne enforcement of any such
injunctive relief.
* * %* [One-year renewable exemptions
from requirements if in the paramount
interest of United States, requirement
of annual report to Congress on
exemptions].
xxXXV
TII. PROPOSED RCRA AMENDMENT _
H.R. 1056
{pertinent part only]
101ist Congress
lst Session
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 20 (legislative day, January 3),
1989
Received; read twice and referred to the
Committee on Environment and Public
Works
AN ACT
To amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to
Clarify provisions concerning the
application of certain requirements
and sanctions to Federal
facilities.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representa
— . the United stat 7 ’
__in Congress assembled,
3 Section 1. Short Title.
xxxVi
This Act may be cited as the
"Federal Facilities Com-
pliance Act of 1989".
Sec.2. Application of Certain
Provisions to Federal
Facilities.
(a) IN GENERAL.--Section 6001 of
the Solid Waste
Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6961) is
amended--
(1) by inserting "(a) IN GENERAL.
--" after
"6001.";
(2) in the first sentence, by
inserting "and man-
agement" before "in the same
manner";
(3) by inserting after the first
sentence the follow-
ing: "The Federal, State,
xxxvii
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
interstate, and local substan-
tive and procedural requirements
referred to in this ‘
subsection include, but are not
limited to, all adminis-
trative orders and all civil and
administrative penalties
and fines."; and
(4) by inserting after the second
sentence the fol-
lowing: "For purposes of enforcing
any such substan-
tive or procedural requirement
(including, but not limit-
ed to, any injunctive relief,
administrative order, or
civil or administrative penalty or
fine) against any such
department, agency, or
instrumentality, the United
xXxXxxViii
OE a CMRI: i ne ee bl rae te ee ec
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
States hereby expressly waives any
immunity other-
wise applicable to the United States.
No agent, em-
ployee, or officer of the United
States shall be person-
ally liable for any civil penalty
under any Federal or
State solid or hazardous waste law
with respect to any
act or omission within the scope of
his official duties.
An agent, employee, or officer of
the United States
shall be subject to any criminal
sanction (including, but
not limited to, any fine or
imprisonment) under any
Federal or State solid or hazardous
waste law, but no
xxxix
ee ee ee ee
a oa oo ee =
ee eres -
2 department, agency, or
instrumentality of the execu-
3 tive, legislative, or judicial branch
of the Federal Gov-
4 ernment shall be subject to any such
sanction.".
- * ”
7 SEC. 3. DEFINITION.
8 (a) PERSON.--Subtitle F of the
Solid Waste Disposal
9 Act is amended by adding at the end
the following:
10 "SEC. 6005. DEFINITION OF PERSON.
11 "For purposes of this Act, the term
‘person’ wherever
12 used in this Act, shall be treated as
including each depart-
13 ment, agency, and instrumentality of
the United States."
14 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.--The table
x1
of contents for
15 such subtitle F is amended by adding
the following new item
16 at the end:
"Sec. 6005. Definition of person.".
* * i
xli
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