EDC men accused of violating Clean Water Act

Two El Dorado County men face charges related to the federal Clean Water Act.

Christopher Young, 41, of El Dorado Hills is charged with conspiracy, 12 counts of tampering with monitoring equipment, two counts of unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, one count of false statements, and one count of witness tampering.

The same indictment charges his brother, Jeremiah Young, 38, of El Dorado, with conspiracy, eight counts of tampering with monitoring equipment, and two counts of unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater.

A federal grand jury handed down the indictment on April 6 against American Biodiesel Inc., aka Community Fuels, and the Young brothers who were employees at its biodiesel fuel manufacturing plant in Stockton. The company is charged with conspiracy, 12 counts of tampering with monitoring equipment, two counts of unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, and one count of false statements.

The indictment alleges that from March 2009 through December 2016, Christopher Young directed employees to tamper with pH, and flow and volume monitoring devices to allow Community Fuels to discharge hundreds of thousands of gallons of polluted industrial wastewater into Stockton Municipal Utility District’s sewer in violation of the company’s wastewater discharge permit and in violation of the Clean Water Act. Jeremiah Young allegedly participated in the conspiracy.

According to court records, the contaminants were methanol, glycerin, oils and fats, and acids.

The company was supposed to use tanker trucks to haul the wastewater to the East Bay Municipal Utility District wastewater treatment plant in Oakland.

If convicted, Christopher Young faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine of $4.25 million, Jeremiah Young faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison a fine of $2.5 million, and the company could be fined $4 million if found at fault.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report