Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Richard Piatt reporting Manipulating an environmental test at a Provo iron plant is a crime that will put one man in federal prison.
Jail time isn't typical for an environmental crime. But in this case, a federal judge said breaking the law deserved that penalty---and more.
This all boils down to a falsified smokestack test at the Pacific States Cast Iron Company six years ago. Today, the man behind that phony test found out he'll spend a year and a day in prison and pay a $20,000 dollar fine.
Charles Matlock--in the red tie--declined to say anything about what he did---or about his upcoming time in prison.
But people who live and work near the Pacific States Cast Iron Company weren't shy. Around the year 2000, they were constantly complaining about pollution from this plant.
Linda Barclay, Works Near Pacific States: "The big white plumes would be coming out of the plant. I could smell it. It would make my eyes water, it hurt my lungs. Absolutely it was a problem."
Federal prosecutors say prior to a test, Matlock ordered his workers to burn relatively a relatively pure iron---not the more contaminated scrap metal in the Pacific States furnaces.
They say Matlock knew that would make the test inaccurate---and hide the level of P-M 10--a pollutant--the company was spewing into the air.
The offense is a felony: And parent company McWane Incorporated paid a $3 million dollar fine for what happened, the largest environmental fine in Utah history.
Charles Matlock: "I'm truly sorry I disgraced my company and my family. I accept responsibility for what I did."
Matlock told the judge he was truly sorry he disgraced his company and his family with his actions. But he says he accepts responsibility for what he did.
Judge Dee Benson: "He did know a normal test would show a violation... Yes, the air was affected..."
But the Judge Dee Benson said the evidence swayed him against leniency. He said Matlock was trying to hide on-going pollution problems at the plant, and that the air around the plant WAS affected, which is the reason environmental laws exist.
Afterward, Matlock's attorney expressed disappointment at the prison time for his client.
Max Wheeler, Defense Attorney: "We were hoping in a case like this that would not happen. But it did, we'll make the most of it."
Since the violation, McWane has invested in considerable environmental upgrades, bringing the plant into compliance. The McWane company has a record of environmental violations around the country.
With this sentence, E-P-A officials hope to send the message that environmental violations will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.
