Cecil County Man Convicted of Soil and Sediment Control Violations

BALTIMORE, MD ( September 17, 2010) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that J. Thomas Armour, 61, of 203 Razor Strap Road in North East, was convicted in the Circuit Court for Cecil County of the misdemeanor violations of illegally performing construction without obtaining an approved sediment control plan and with placing soil in a location where it is likely to wash into waters of the State of Maryland. Judge Christian M. Kahl sentenced Armour to a 60 day suspended sentence, 40 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine. Judge Kahl also placed Armour on three years probation and ordered him to comply with all conditions of a Settlement Agreement and Consent Order entered into with the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The conviction resulted from Armour excavating fill material to place on his horse track at 2100 Biggs Highway in Rising Sun. The disturbance resulted in soil being placed near a stream that runs through the property. Armour refused to allow Maryland Department of the Environment and Cecil County Department of Public Works’ officials onto the property. He also ignored stop work notices and refused to accept a Maryland Department of the Environment “Site Complaint.”

The conviction follows an investigation conducted by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General with the assistance of the Maryland Department of the Environment, Water Management Administration, the Cecil County Department of Public Works and the Cecil County Soil Conservation District.