Attorney General Philip T. McLaughlin and Department of Environmental Services (DES) Commissioner Robert W. Varney announced today that John Gleason of Gorham and Arnold Drouin of Berlin have agreed to pay cash and perform services amounting to $12,500, to settle charges of illegal dumping. A settlement agreement was filed with the Coos County Superior Court for approval.

The State alleged that in the fall of 1997 Mr. Drouin brought construction and demolition debris containing asbestos to property owned by Mr. Gleason in Gorham. Under state law, con-struction and demolition debris can only be disposed of at a State-permitted facility. Neither Gleason nor Drouin held the required permits.

On October 31, 1997 DES inspected Gleason's Gorham property and found a large pile of demolition debris consisting of such items as asphalt shingles, metal pipe, painted wood, plaster, and asbestos pipe insulation. On investigation, DES learned that Drouin, with Gleason's permis-sion, had brought the debris to the Gorham property from a house he had torn down. DES sam-pled and tested the asbestos pipe insulation and issued administrative orders to Mr. Drouin and Mr. Gleason. Both men were ordered to remove the debris to permitted facilities and hire a li-censed asbestos abatement contractor to clean up the asbestos waste.

Under the settlement, Gleason and Drouin, without admitting to the violations or liability, agreed to pay the State $2,500. Also, they agreed to pay an additional $1,000 each, which will be suspended for one year pending their continued compliance and their successful completion of a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). Under the SEP Gleason and Drouin will perform at least $8,000 in construction services for the Northern Forest Heritage Park in Berlin. These services will involve performing construction and maintenance work for the Heritage Park free of charge using their own equipment and supplies.

"The proper management of solid waste in our state is important for ensuring environmental and public health protection for New Hampshire citizens," commented DES Commissioner Var-ney. "Facilities designed and operated under carefully crafted state permits play a critical role in this safeguard process. Actions such as these, which in this case included depositing a known carcinogen, asbestos, at an unpermitted facility, simply cannot be tolerated."

Attorney General McLaughlin reaffirmed that his office will continue to aggressively pursue violators of environmental and public health requirements. "We are satisfied not only that this matter was resolved from the standpoint of deterrence, but also because the site has now been cleaned up and restored, thereby alleviating any future threat to public health and the environ-ment."

For further information, please contact Assistant Attorney General Peter Roth at (603) 271-3679.