Cape Cod Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Disposing Of Hazardous Waste

Sept. 24, 2002
A Cape Cod resident pleaded guilty this in federal court to illegally disposing of a mercury-based fungicide on National Park Service property.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Michael E. Hubbard, special agent in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division for New England, said Michael A. Raasch, age 45, of Brewster, Ma., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph L. Tauro to one count of illegally disposing of hazardous waste without a permit in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

At the plea hearing, the prosecutor told the court that, had the case gone to trial the evidence would have shown that Raasch was employed as the golf course superintendent at the Chequessett Yacht and Country Club in Wellfleet, Ma. On April 4, 2000, Raasch disposed of a four-pound bag of Calo-Gran, a mercury-based fungicide, by dumping it in a deserted location near the sixth fairway, a location that is owned by the National Park Service. The fungicide contained concentrations of mercury far in excess of permitted levels.

Judge Tauro scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2002. Raasch faces up to five years' imprisonment, to be followed by three years' supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

EPA's Criminal Investigation Division and the National Park Service investigated the case.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

June 16, 2025
This free guide will define complacency, explain individual and organizational complacency, provide insights into the contributing factors and give a high-level overview of what...
May 22, 2025
Heat stress is a serious challenge that poses immediate and long-term health effects for workers in high-temperature environments. To combat heat stress, it's critical to educate...
May 15, 2025
Foot safety is a serious concern. At your next safety meeting, give your crew eye-opening facts about feet and how proper footwear matters more than they may know. Show your team...
May 15, 2025
If reimbursing employees for safety footwear is how its always been done, maybe its time to learn about the advantages a managed footwear program can offer instead. See a ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!