FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 11, 1998
Contact: Jeff Nelligan
OIG Communications Director
Telephone: (202) 366-6312
http://www.dot.gov/oig
OIG 12-98
TWO
CHARGED IN UNLAWFUL TRANSPORTATION
OF HAZARDOUS WASTE
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General today announced that two Florida men have been charged with illegally transporting hazardous wastes.
Izhak Ponie, 39, of Pompano Beach, Fla., was recently arrested on charges of illegally transporting hazardous wastes to the Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale International Airport -- without the knowledge of airport officials -- and dumping the waste there without a legal permit, violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Ponie is in pre-trial detention and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $50,000 in fines per day of violation.
Also charged with the unlawful disposal of hazardous wastes was John Martin, 51, of Fort Lauderdale. Martin also faces a maximum five-year sentence and up to $50,000 in fines per day of violation.
The charges stem from the illegal dumping of six 55-gallon drums containing hazardous wastes that were highly flammable.
The case was investigated by special agents from the Office of Inspector General, the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the Florida Marine Patrol.
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