THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 9, 1995 TAG: 9502070128
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 104 lines
Those who are tempted to dump their used motor oil down a storm drain better be prepared for the environmental police.
Norfolk's Environmental Crimes Task Force is poised to apprehend and punish those who pollute.
The task force's slogan: ``If we catch you, we will prosecute you.''
Offenders can receive up to a year in jail, be fined $2,500 and forced to pay cleanup costs.
The group, created by Assistant City Attorney Cynthia B. Hall, is made up of staff from a variety of city departments, including environmental, fire, police and public works personnel.
Norfolk is the only city in Hampton Roads to have such a group, according to Nancy Gray, spokesperson for the task force.
``It was formed to unify all the environmental agencies in the city and help enhance law enforcement,'' Gray said.
The move was precipitated by a lack of coordination and prosecuting techniques between environmental and public service agencies, Gray said. The problem was brought to light by a major case of illegal dumping that is still in litigation.
The task force was established last spring, and Gray spearheaded a public-awareness campaign that began about two months ago. In December, a pollution hot line - 441-2536 - was opened to encourage residents to report violations. Informational inserts have been mailed with citizens' public service bills, and civic leaders are being contacted about the program.
``The hot line has been well-received,'' Gray said. ``Calls are coming in at an increasing rate.''
The task force's objectives are to prosecute polluters, enhance communication within the city and other government agencies, upgrade and strengthen codes, and increase public awareness of pollution and its problems.
The core of the organization is the First Response Team, made up of police, fire, hazardous materials and stormwater management personnel. Team procedure is to respond to a call, contain the pollutant and determine whether it is accidental or intentional. Although outfitted with containment equipment and materials, cleanup is left to the responsible party or contracted out to an environmental services company. Either way, the polluter is billed for the cleanup.
The focus of prosecution is on intentional violators. Someone dumping waste at a dead-end street instead of at a legal site is a prime example. When notified of a prospective intentional violation, the team ``strikes like a bad cat,'' said member Ed Palaszewski, a supervisor/inspector with the fire marshal's office. ``It's all about catching the intentional violator. We'll ask for the maximum.''
The maximum can mean not only jail but also multiple fines from various agencies, adding up to thousands of dollars. Because businesses use more potentially hazardous materials, much of the concentration is on commercial offenders. One demolition contractor was caught disposing of debris on private property and was sentenced to six months in jail.
Residential polluters are also sought. An Ocean View resident who emptied a fuel tank onto the ground was given a 30-day suspended sentence, put on two years of probation and forced to pay the cleanup costs.
A man who poured oil into a storage drain, which later found its way to a reservoir, was fined $2,500. Others have been required to perform environmental public service in lieu of jail or reparations.
But punishment isn't the only strategy.
For less serious offenses, people may be given a warning and required to remove any waste. They are given instructions and brochures on the proper way to dispose of the material.
``We'll try to reach the unintentional violator through education and prevention,'' Gray said.
``A lot of it is ignorance,'' Palaszewski explained. ``We will work with people who just don't know.''
In upcoming months, the task force plans to conduct informational meetings with the public to educate and advise citizens on the dangers of pollution. Gray stressed that all pollution has the potential of reaching a waterway, contaminating drinking water, decreasing economic property values and ruining aesthetics.
The group does not have its own office but is holding meetings once a month at City Hall. An annual operating budget of $50,000 will be used for equipment, training and containment. The task force's budget will be bolstered by fees collected from polluters for services rendered.
The task force's effort also will involve cooperation with state environmental agencies and federal bodies such as the EPA. Although the team will react to a problem of any size, it may not always have final jurisdiction.
``It's not a black and white situation,'' Gray said. ``We will respond to any call and then determine what is needed.''
For incidents on navigable waters, state or federal agencies may be required. The Coast Guard will be summoned for oil spills.
``We try to handle as much as we can,'' Gray said, ``but we're not in the business of cleaning up. We're in the business of containing.''
Gray expressed optimism about the effect the task force will have on Norfolk and suggested that the group could become a model for other area cities if successful.
She is relying on the hotline to provide valuable input from citizens.
``The more eyes we have,'' she said, ``the easier it will be to clean it up.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Locations such as this one in the 1100 block of Goff Street, near
Barraud Street, are among the targets of Norfolk's Environmental
Crimes Task Force.
by CNB