Aerospace manufacturer to pay $12 million for illegal dumping

February 2007

U.S. Water News Online

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Aerospace manufacturer Hamilton Sundstrand pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the federal Clean Water Act, admitting dumping industrial discharge into the Farmington River from its Windsor Locks plant.

Lawyers for Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., appeared in U.S. District Court in Hartford. The company agreed to pay a $1 million fine and contribute another $11 million for environmental improvement projects. It was also placed on probation for five years.

U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor called the $12 million in fines and contributions one of the largest settlements of a pollution case ever in Connecticut. He declined to say whether any company employees will be charged, but noted the investigation is continuing.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the sentence on April 27.

Hamilton Sundstrand was accused of exceeding government-set levels for discharge of hexavalent chromium between 2001 and 2003 and altering documents to conceal the violations.

The company was also accused of knowingly dumping tens of thousands of gallons of contaminated wastewater containing chelated copper into the Farmington River in September 2003.

"I think what today's convictions demonstrate is that state DEP, the federal EPA and the U.S. attorney's office believe that this type of conduct is downright criminal and we will continue to prosecute it aggressively,"O'Connor said at a news conference.

"We're sending a strong deterrent message,"he said. "At the same time, we're reaping great benefits for the environment here in Connecticut.''

The company, which makes space suits and aircraft operating systems, said in a statement it is now in full compliance with environmental laws.

"Hamilton Sundstrand is committed to environmental leadership that goes beyond mere compliance,"the company said. "Clearly we did not live up to our standards in this instance. We regret this failure and will take all necessary steps so such events never happen again.''

Gina McCarthy, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said there are no long-term impacts on the environment or drinking water supplies from the discharges of the chromium and copper, both toxic substances used in metal finishing work.

"Hamilton Sundstrand and every other company needs to understand that no matter how exciting your products are, you have an obligation to this earth, to our natural resources,"McCarthy said. "They failed to remember that obligation.''

Besides paying the $1 million fine, the company will also:

  • Spend $5.6 million on environmental improvements at the Windsor Locks plant, including installing a waste treatment system that will eliminate all discharges into the Farmington River.
  • Give the state DEP $2.4 million to fund projects to restore and maintain state waterways. The money will come from a state grant the company will receive for building a gas turbine facility that will generate heat and power as well as reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
  • Give the DEP $2 million for a program addressing the effects of runoff from the use of dairy farm manure on water quality in Connecticut.
  • Contribute $500,000 to the DEP for environmental improvement projects on the Farmington River, including dam removal and enhancing fish habitat.
  • Give the DEP $500,000 to develop and implement an electronic information management system for data required to be collected under federal environmental laws.

O'Connor said a DEP worker learned about the chromium and copper discharges while monitoring the company as part of a previous consent agreement on environmental issues. He would not say exactly how the DEP official obtained the information.


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