Summary

On September 15, 2012, Field Environmental Incorporated (FEI), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pled guilty and agreed to pay $288,000 in a global settlement to resolve criminal and civil charges that it illegally shipped pressured gas cylinders by air in violation of PHMSA regulations.  

Previously, in November 2011, FEI, and two officials, Walter Caldwell, and Anthony Morgavo, were indicted for the illegal transport of hazardous materials.  FEI, Mr. Caldwell, and Mr. Morgavo were charged with willfully causing Federal Express to illicitly transport pressurized gas cylinders by air.   Mr. Morgavo and Mr. Caldwell served as FEI shipping officials and failed to declare the shipment as hazardous materials as required by DOT regulations.  Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Morgavo entered federal pretrial diversion.

FEI rented environmental testing equipment to customers for use on construction sites and in other environmental testing businesses.  The investigation determined that FEI used Federal Express and United Parcel Service to ship the equipment and the regulated gas cylinders throughout the country.  FEI regularly shipped compressed hydrogen, isobutene, methane, and other gases for use in environmental testing and construction practices.   More than 2,500 alleged illegal shipments were identified.  The shipments consisted of gas cylinders ranging from 17 liters to 68 liters in size, with pressure ratings of 1,800 psi. 

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration assisted with the investigation.