Atlantic Utility Maintenance Incorporated Guilty of an Environmental Offence

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, September 1, 2005 - On August 19, Atlantic Utility Maintenance Incorporated pleaded guilty and was sentenced for a breach of the federal Fisheries Act in relation to the deposit of paint stripper into a storm drain. Judge MacDonald of the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia, ordered the company to pay a penalty of $20,000, which includes a court fine of $5,000 and a payment of $15,000 into the Environmental Damages Fund.

In August 2004, the company improperly stripped paint off an airplane in a facility at the Halifax International Airport. The plane was parked near a storm drain that empties into Bennery brook and no containment procedures were taken to prevent the highly toxic paint stripper from being washed into the storm drain. Atlantic Utility Maintenance Incorporated was the registered owner of the airplane, and the owner and sole official of the company is Steven Christiansen of Dartmouth.

Environment Canada enforcement officers investigated the company and charged it under the Fisheries Act, which prohibits any person from depositing or permitting a deposit of a deleterious substance into waters frequented by fish.

The Environmental Damages Fund was created in 1995 to provide courts and companies with a way to ensure that the money from pollution fines and settlements would be directly invested in repairing the harm done by pollution. It helps ensure the "polluter pays" principle is applied and that polluters take responsibility for their actions. The money in the Fund is allocated to local organizations, and typically they find various partners that contribute additional money and other resources.

Environment Canada investigates alleged offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Fisheries Act, in order to ensure compliance with legislation and regulations that protect the Canadian environment.

For more information, please contact:

Kevin Buerfeind
Head of Investigations
Environment Canada
(902) 426-2302

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