Delaware News

Attorney General Beau Biden Secures Criminal Conviction in Environmental Dumping Case

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Family | Date Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2008



Attorney General Joseph R. Biden, III announced today that Everrett E. Thomas, of Hurlock,
Md. has been convicted of illegally transporting solid waste without a permit and of illegally dumping
clam waste in the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area in Sussex County. Thomas was convicted on April 16
by a jury in Sussex County Superior Court and faces incarceration, fines and restitution when he is
sentenced by Judge E. Scott Bradley in June.
“Cases like this serve as a deterrent to others who are polluting our natural resources,” stated
Attorney General Biden. “We will continue to use the full power of the Department of Justice to
protect the health of our environment.”
In July 2007, a Sussex County resident discovered a large pile of decomposing clam waste at
the edge of a ditch in the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area. The next day, the same resident observed a
dump truck leaving the scene after it had dumped a load of clam waste nearby. Delaware Department
of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Environmental Protection Officers opened an
investigation and determined that the clam waste originated from Seawatch International, a fish &
seafood processing operation in Milford, Del. Seawatch officials, who cooperated with DNREC
officers, reported that Thomas had been contracted to use clam waste from the processing plant as hog
feed.
During the investigation, Thomas was observed dumping clam waste he had picked up from
Seawatch International into a Maryland field approximately six miles from the Marshy Hope Wildlife
Area. Because Thomas illegally dumped clam waste rather than using it as feed, he was required
under Delaware law to have a permit to transport solid waste.
DNREC Secretary John A. Hughes emphasized the coordinated effort that resulted in justice
for the environment. “A proactive, concerned citizenry and a coordinated enforcement effort with the
Attorney General’s office serves notice that the environment can and will be protected,” he said.
Thomas was convicted of three counts of transporting solid waste without a permit, two counts
of disposing of solid waste without a permit, and two counts of operating a motor vehicle in a wildlife
area. DNREC coordinated the removal of the clam waste from the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area.
# # #

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Attorney General Beau Biden Secures Criminal Conviction in Environmental Dumping Case

Criminal Division | Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | Family | Date Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2008



Attorney General Joseph R. Biden, III announced today that Everrett E. Thomas, of Hurlock,
Md. has been convicted of illegally transporting solid waste without a permit and of illegally dumping
clam waste in the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area in Sussex County. Thomas was convicted on April 16
by a jury in Sussex County Superior Court and faces incarceration, fines and restitution when he is
sentenced by Judge E. Scott Bradley in June.
“Cases like this serve as a deterrent to others who are polluting our natural resources,” stated
Attorney General Biden. “We will continue to use the full power of the Department of Justice to
protect the health of our environment.”
In July 2007, a Sussex County resident discovered a large pile of decomposing clam waste at
the edge of a ditch in the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area. The next day, the same resident observed a
dump truck leaving the scene after it had dumped a load of clam waste nearby. Delaware Department
of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Environmental Protection Officers opened an
investigation and determined that the clam waste originated from Seawatch International, a fish &
seafood processing operation in Milford, Del. Seawatch officials, who cooperated with DNREC
officers, reported that Thomas had been contracted to use clam waste from the processing plant as hog
feed.
During the investigation, Thomas was observed dumping clam waste he had picked up from
Seawatch International into a Maryland field approximately six miles from the Marshy Hope Wildlife
Area. Because Thomas illegally dumped clam waste rather than using it as feed, he was required
under Delaware law to have a permit to transport solid waste.
DNREC Secretary John A. Hughes emphasized the coordinated effort that resulted in justice
for the environment. “A proactive, concerned citizenry and a coordinated enforcement effort with the
Attorney General’s office serves notice that the environment can and will be protected,” he said.
Thomas was convicted of three counts of transporting solid waste without a permit, two counts
of disposing of solid waste without a permit, and two counts of operating a motor vehicle in a wildlife
area. DNREC coordinated the removal of the clam waste from the Marshy Hope Wildlife Area.
# # #

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.