The United States Department of Justice issued a December 1st news release referencing the sentencing of Kristofer Landell (“Landell”) and Stephanie Laskin (“Laskin”) for allegedly conspiring to violate Clean Air Act regulations.
The alleged violations involved Clean Air Act regulations addressing the removal, handling and disposal of asbestos.
Landell is described as air- and project-monitor and Laskin as an abatement company owner. The facility at issue is described as the “Tech City property” in Kingston, New York.
The news release states that:
. . . between 2015 and 2016, Landell and Laskin both permitted, and in some cases directed, abatement workers to remove asbestos from the TechCity Property illegally by stripping regulated asbestos containing materials without properly containing the work area and removing the asbestos dry, thus allowing airborne fibers to escape into the surrounding environment.
Landell is described as concealing the violations by fabricating and falsifying paperwork required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and State of New York. Certain defendants were accused of failing to conduct air-monitoring and falsifying at least one required “final air clearance.”
Landell and Laskin were sentenced to eight months and ten months of incarceration, respectively. Those two defendants and three others were ordered to pay approximately $399,000 to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for its costs related to cleaning up the contaminated site.
A copy of the news release can be downloaded here.
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