By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned an indictment against Tonawanda Coke and its environmental control manager.
U.S. Attorney William Hochul said the indictment charges the facility and manager Mark Kamholz with 15 counts of violating the Clean Air Act.
Five of the counts relate to the release of coke oven gas containing benzene into the air. Another four counts are for improper storage and disposal of toxic waste.
Assistant U.S. attorney Aaron Mango detailed one of the most serious environmental violations.
"There was essentially an unknown liquid in a railroad tanker car which was disposed of by TCC and the defendant, Kamholz, by spraying the material onto coal, then the coal was put in the coke oven which was ultimately burned. That material is alleged by the grand jury to be hazardous. That material contains a toxic level of benzene a toxic level of mercury and is also ignitable," said Mango.
Another four counts are for improper storage and disposal of toxic waste.
The plant and manager are also charged with obstruction of justice.
The remaining ten Clean Air Act counts relate to operating two coke-quenching towers without a pollution control device.