June 22, 2006

Attorney General Corbett announces environmental charges against Butler man in tire dumping scheme

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section have filed criminal charges against a Butler County man accused of illegally dumping more than 10,000 waste tires on private property in Butler and Lawrence counties.

Corbett identified the defendant as Charles W. Tanner, 70, 120 White Oak Drive, Butler.

According to the criminal charges, Tanner was paid by service stations and auto wrecking shops in Butler, Mercer and Armstrong counties to handle the disposal of waste tires from their businesses.  Tanner allegedly dumped the tires on private property throughout the area rather than take them to a licensed disposal site.

Corbett said that between June 2005 and October 2005, Tanner allegedly dumped approximately 10,000 waste tires behind a home located along Woodwind Lane, Plane Grove Township, Lawrence County, without the homeowner's knowledge.  Tanner also allegedly dumped an additional 400 tires on a property along East Butler Road, Summit Township, Butler County.

According to the criminal charges, Tanner was never authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to transport, store or dispose of waste tires.

Tanner is charged with two counts of illegally dumping solid waste, two counts of illegally storing or disposing of solid waste and two counts of illegally transporting solid waste.  Each count is a third degree misdemeanor and carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $25,000 per day.

The criminal charges were filed before Chicora Magisterial District Judge Lewis Stoughton who issued a summons for Tanner to appear for a preliminary hearing at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2006.

The case will be prosecuted in Butler County by Deputy Attorney General Andrew Thiros of the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section.

Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for their assistance with this investigation.

Corbett noted that Tanner is also the subject of a May 2006 court order in Butler County to remove waste tires from locations where they were illegally dumped and make arrangements to transport them to a licensed disposal facility.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

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EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the criminal complaint and a photo of the defendant are available by contacting the Attorney General's Press Office at 717-787-5211.  For more information on the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section visit www.attorneygeneral.gov.