Contractor who mishandled, dumped asbestos gets 6 months in federal prison

Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former construction supervisor convicted of mishandling pipe coated with asbestos during an upgrade of Orofino’s municipal water and sewer system four years ago has been sentenced six months in prison. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge handed down the punishment Wednesday in the case of 52-year-old Douglas Greiner, a former long-time employee of Owyhee Construction Inc. As part of a deal with prosecutors, Greiner pleaded guilty to one count of violating work place standards of the Clean Air Act. Federal investigators say Greiner didn’t follow procedures for removing the asbestos-coated pipe and illegally dumping the material at 16 different locations around town. The Environmental Protection Agency stepped and spent more than $3.9 million to clean up the disposal sites. The ongoing EPA criminal investigation is now focused on OCI executives.