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PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR PLEADS GUILTY
Release Date: 02/03/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2000
PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR PLEADS GUILTY
State Senator William Lee Slocum, Jr., of Youngsville, Pa., pleaded guilty on Jan. 18, in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh to six counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act when he operated the Youngsville Sewage Treatment Plant between 1983 and 1995. During that period, there were repeated discharges of raw sewage and sewage sludge from the plant into Brokenstraw Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River. Slocum directed the installation and use of a bypass gate which was used to discharge raw sewage, failed to ensure that the plant’s flow meter was providing accurate readings and failed to provide for the removal of sewage sludge from the plant on a regular basis. As a result, approximately 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage and sludge were discharged into Brokenstraw Creek. Raw sewage and sludge contains e.coli bacteria and often contains pathogens. Such pathogens can cause a variety of infections in people who come in contact with contaminated waters and can make surface waters undrinkable for humans and harmful for aquatic organisms and wildlife. Negligent violations of the Clean Water Act provide for a maximum sentence of one year in prison and/or a maximum fine of $100,000 per count. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
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