PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PRINTING COMPANY
CONVICTED OF WATER POLLUTION

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today the conviction of Corporate Press, Inc. for unlawfully discharging a pollutant into waters of the State of Maryland. Corporate Press, Inc., of 403 Brightseat Road in Landover, pled guilty before the Honorable Dwight D. Jackson in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.

On March 11, 2002, the Prince George’s County Fire Department responded to a complaint that an industrial solvent was being washed into a storm drain at Corporate Press, Inc.’s Landover printing plant. According to the facts presented before the court, plant employees discovered that a storage tank leaked while the plant was closed and approximately 100 to150 gallons of the solvent in the tank discharged inside the plant. Initial attempts to contain the solvent, which is used to clean ink off printing presses, were unsuccessful. Plant supervisors then directed that the solvent be washed out of the building.

When Fire Department personnel arrived they observed a Corporate Press employee, later identified as the shift supervisor, washing down a loading dock at the business. They followed the trail of liquid from the storage tank down the loading dock and across the parking lot to a nearby storm drain. Fire Department personnel placed booms at the storm drain to prevent additional pollutants from entering the drain. Storm drains are waters of the State, and it is illegal to allow any pollutant to flow into any waters of the State.

The Fire Department notified the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Emergency Response Division, which responded to the plant, and in turn notified the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Attorney General’s Office. Maryland State Police detectives assigned to the Environmental Crimes Unit investigated the case.

Judge Jackson imposed a fine of $20,000 on Corporate Press. The maximum penalty for water pollution is one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $25,000.

"The actions of Corporate Press showed a total disregard for Maryland’s environmental laws and for the nearby waters," Attorney General Curran said. "The $20,000 fine should help serve as a reminder to the company and warning to others that such actions are illegal and harmful."

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