According to TribToday.com, Federal criminal charges are expected to be filed today against Ben Lupo, owner of D&L Energy and Hardrock Excavating. Lupo is accused of ordering the dumping of thousands of gallons of fracking brine water into a tributary of the Mahoning River.

This is a developing story. The Shale Gas Reporter will have the news as it breaks.

Updated at 11:30 a.m.

Charges

WYTV.com just reported that Ben Lupo was brought into the U.S. District Court in Youngstown, Ohio, in handcuffs and street clothes.

Lupo entered no plea at the hearing and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The case will now be sent to a federal grand jury in Cleveland.

This is the first criminal charges in Ohio relating to horizontal drilling.

Multiple cases

Lupo admitted to dumping brine water on several occasions.

Read it:

“Officials said Lupo admitted to making dumping brine and water into the storm sewer on six different occasions. The company was caught Jan. 31 by ODNR investigators who were sent a second anonymous tip about dumping at the companies’ 2716 Salt Springs Road property.”

The EPA is still working on cleaning the Mahoning River.

Clean Water Act

If Lupo is charged with violating the Clean Water Act, he could face three years in federal prison on each charge and a $50,000 per-day fine for each day the violation occurs.

Lupo could face as much as $1.5 million in fines.

Read the entire story at WYTV.com.

» Via: The TribToday.com › Federal criminal charges against Lupo expected today