Month: October 2022

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Security News: Atlantic Richfield Company Agrees to Complete Multimillion-Dollar Cleanup of the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Atlantic Richfield Company (AR) has agreed to complete its cleanup of the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site (Site) in Deer Lodge County, Montana, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The state of Montana, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Quality, is also a signatory to the consent decree that was lodged today in the U.S. District Court in Butte, Montana.

Decades of copper smelting activity at the town of Anaconda polluted the soils in yards, commercial and industrial areas, pastures and open spaces throughout the 300-square-mile Anaconda Site. This pollution has in turn contributed to the contamination of creeks and other surface waters at the Site, as well as of alluvial and bedrock ground water. The closure of smelting operations in 1980 left large volumes of smelter slag, flue dust and hazardous rock tailings that have had to be secured through a variety of remediation methods.

Under the settlement, AR — a subsidiary of British Petroleum — will complete numerous remedial activities that it has undertaken at the Anaconda Site pursuant to EPA administrative orders since the 1990s. Among other actions, AR will finish remediating residential yards in the towns of Anaconda and Opportunity, clean up soils in upland areas above Anaconda and eventually effect the closure of remaining slag piles at the Site. The estimated cost of the remaining Site work, including operation and maintenance activities intended to protect remediated lands over the long-term, is $83.1 million. AR will pay $48 million to reimburse the EPA Superfund Program for EPA and Department of Justice response costs, and will pay approximately $185,000 to the U.S. Forest Service for oversight of future remedial activities on Forest Service-administered lands at the Site. 

“We are pleased that Atlantic Richfield has agreed to finalize its long-term cleanup of the Anaconda Site,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s consent decree follows other important settlements with Atlantic Richfield over the past two decades that have substantially improved the environment and restored valuable natural resources in the Upper Clark Fork basin. This settlement is also the product of a successful federal-state partnership to secure cleanup of a major hazardous waste site.”

“I was born in Anaconda the same year the smelter closed and while I never saw smoke coming out of the smokestack that still stands over Anaconda, I know what it represents,” said U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich for the District of Montana. “It is a symbol representing the hard work of many Anacondans, including members of my family, that built our town, but it’s also a symbol of a Superfund site that has existed for far too long. If the Smokestack represents our past, this consent decree represents our future. Many people, some who are no longer with us, worked diligently to get us to this point and I’m grateful beyond words for all of their work. Our water will be cleaner, our soils will be purer, our slag will be covered, and our future will be brighter because of this historic agreement.”

“This settlement highlights the Agency’s vigorous enforcement to ensure the complete cleanup of the Anaconda Smelter Superfund site,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Larry Starfield. “The work performed under this settlement will further protect the environment and the health of the people who live, work and play in this community.”

“I am very pleased to announce the release of the proposed 2022 sitewide consent decree for the Anaconda Smelter NPL Site,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “Over the last several decades, EPA and MDEQ have made great strides in ensuring the cleanup of open space, residential areas, creeks and groundwater by Atlantic Richfield throughout Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. This cleanup of contaminated soils that impact surface waters and remediation of the largest slag piles at Anaconda builds on that progress.”

“This is an important milestone for the people of Anaconda and Montana. A lot of great cleanup work has already been done, and this consent decree will ensure that remaining remediation needs are funded and completed,” said Amy Steinmetz, Montana Department of Environmental Quality Waste Management and Remediation Division administrator. 

The consent decree filed today in U.S. District Court in Butte, Montana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website at: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

Under Montana state law, the Department of Environmental Quality is separately required to put the consent decree out for public comment. The state’s public comment period will run concurrently with the federal public comment period. The consent decree will be available on DEQ’s website at: https://deq.mt.gov/News/publiccomment-folder/Anaconda-CD-9-22.

The consent decree and other information related to the Anaconda Site are available on EPA’s webite page at: www.epa.gov/superfund/anaconda-co-smelter.

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Defense News: NAVWAR Celebrates 25 Years in San Diego

Source: United States Navy

Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) is celebrating 25 years in San Diego, serving as one of the Navy’s major acquisition commands with an expertise in cyber and information technology, providing a substantial positive impact to the region’s economy year after year.

On October 1, 1997, NAVWAR, then Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), opened its doors in San Diego, having moved across the country from Crystal City, VA. The relocation was a result of a Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decision, bringing nearly 1,000 jobs to the San Diego region.

NAVWAR’s location in San Diego is ideal for both the region and the command. With nearly half of its workforce positioned in the area, NAVWAR brings major economic, technological and educational benefits to the region, while leveraging many of San Diego’s unique advantages including close proximity to operational forces, training ranges, high-tech industry and world-class universities. Additionally, as one of the top employers in the region, NAVWAR brings $3.2 billion in revenue to the area and employs more than 5,200 federal employees while supporting more than 29,000 jobs.

“We have a long history with San Diego, as the region has been a strong partner in executing our mission of delivering and sustaining information warfare capabilities for the fleet and our partners around the world,” said NAVWAR Executive Director John Pope.

Another example of partnerships within the region is NAVWAR’s continued involvement with the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE), demonstrating the command’s strong commitment and contribution to cybersecurity, as well as the importance of partnering with industry to better support the mission. NAVWAR is working alongside the CCOE on a number of initiatives to strengthen the diversity and inclusivity in the cyber talent pipeline, including CyberHireSD and the Underrepresented in Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program.

San Diego is home to more than 870 cyber firms and 12,400 cyber professionals that generate an annual economic impact of $3.5 billion. NAVWAR directly employs a third of all cybersecurity workers in San Diego and its presence is a contributing factor for many cyber companies to remain located in the region.

With the expanding impact of the information environment, NAVWAR’s relationship with the region is more important than ever, with the command working across government, military, industry and academia to deliver solutions at speed for the future fleet.  

This includes NAVWAR’s support of Project Overmatch, a high priority Department of the Navy initiative aimed at connecting platforms, weapons and sensors together in a robust Naval Operational Architecture (NOA) that integrates with Joint All-Domain Command and Control for enhanced Distributed Maritime Operations.

To keep NAVWAR ready to deliver on high priority efforts like Project Overmatch and to execute its high-tech mission, the Navy is working alongside supporting partners and advocates throughout the region to provide the command with safe, modern and secure facilities.

Known as the Navy Old Town Campus (OTC) Revitalization Project, this effort centers around the redevelopment of NAVWAR Headquarters, which is currently housed in 1941 World War II aircraft factories, on 70.5 acres of Navy-owned land at Naval Base Point Loma, in the Midway-Pacific Highway Community of San Diego. The potential redevelopment would bring additional economic benefits to the region through the construction and operation of new commercial, residential, and transportation facilities.

Currently, the Navy is working to identify – through a competitive solicitation process – a potential master developer that can work with the Navy to develop more detailed site plans before a final alternative is selected. The Navy will work with the potential master developer on multiple options for the private development of the site, while continuing to evaluate the feasibility of a NAVWAR-only development funded by traditional military construction methods. The effort represents the mutually beneficial relationship NAVWAR has with the city of San Diego, as they work together to find the best solution possible for both the command and the region.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we look back with pride and gratitude to be part of such a dynamic, high-tech region in the middle of so much Fleet activity,” said NAVWAR Commander Rear Adm. Doug Small.  “Our Sailors and Marines benefit directly from this synergy.”

About NAVWAR:

NAVWAR identifies, develops, delivers and sustains information warfighting capabilities and services that enable naval, joint, coalition and other national missions operating in warfighting domains from seabed to space and through cyberspace. NAVWAR consists of more than 11,000 civilian, active duty and reserve professionals located around the world.

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Defense News: CNAL Stands Up Safety Training Team

Source: United States Navy

Rear Adm. John F. Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (CNAL), established a safety training team, September 16, 2022, in order to observe, understand, and solve potential risk factors in naval aviation.

The safety training team is comprised of senior leadership in aviation, both officer and enlisted, to provide a critical eye on safety procedures and proactive solutions in order to better prevent mishaps.
 
“The intention with the safety team is that this team will go and observe,” Meier said. “They’ll watch safety brief, a tow, a launch, or someone doing maintenance and really pulse and take a good look at how they’re doing business.”
 
Meier plans to send out his safety training team one to two times a month to observe the units in his command and see where potential issues may arise.
 
“We’re here to point out the things that deviate from perfection in regards to safety, documenting that, and elevating it to be solved,” Meier said. 
 
Meier briefed his objectives and tasks to the safety team on September 16, and by September 21, they began their first round of safety observations by visiting Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105.
 
“Being able to walk the deckplates with Sailors and hearing those concerns in person allows us to take action on deficiencies that maybe we weren’t tracking,” said Cmdr. Johnny Harkins, the deputy for the safety officer assigned to CNAL, and a member of the safety training team.
 
The safety training team observed VFA 105 over a period of two days. They watched maintenance meetings, foreign object debris (FOD) walkdowns, and spoke to Sailors as they worked over the course of the day. The team asked the Sailors about manning, access to proper equipment and protective gear, and the condition of the environments they were working in.
 
“Every day these Sailors are told to be safe,” Harkins said. “I don’t think you can say it too much. I think us coming here shows the Sailors that we really do take this seriously. It’s something we really want to show that we feel is important.”
 
VFA 105’s observational visit is the first of many visits the team plans to conduct in order to ensure the forward progression of an overall safer naval aviation program.
 
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is responsible for six nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, 54 aircraft squadrons, 1,200 aircraft and 43,000 officers, enlisted, and civilian personnel based on the East Coast of the United States. It provides combat ready, sustainable naval air forces with the right personnel, properly trained and equipped, with a focus on readiness, operational excellence, interoperability, safety, and efficient resourcing.
 

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Security News: Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Mexican citizen pled guilty to the federal felony offense of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Mellissa B. Harper, Acting Field Office Director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement New Orleans Field Office, made the announcement.

Gonzalo Garcia-Romero, 32, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg.  

According to court documents, on February 3, 2022, Jones County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence near Ellisville, Mississippi, responding to a report of a shooting.  Upon arriving at the residence, deputies encountered a woman who said she had been hit on the head by Gonzalo Garcia-Romero.  While no one had been shot, the woman said Garcia-Romero fired a pistol near her, and deputies found Garcia-Romero with a 9mm loaded pistol. Garcia-Romero was arrested by deputies. The Jones County Sheriff’s Department notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  ICE/ERO officials responded and determined that Garcia-Romero was illegally present in the United States and had unlawfully returned after being previously removed from the U.S. to his home nation of Mexico. 

Garcia-Romero is scheduled to be sentenced on January 3, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, plus a $250,000 fine.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney LaMarca praised the coordination and investigation of ICE/ERO, the ATF and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program.  The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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Security News: Former Rochester CEO Going To Prison For Defrauding His Own Company

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Margiotta, 51, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of wire fraud and filing a false tax return, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Margiotta was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $914,810.52 to the IRS.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that Margiotta was employed as the Chief Executive Officer of eHealth Global Technologies. In May 2011, as eHealth CEO, Margiotta entered into a contract with Healthcare Network Alliance, LLC (HCNA) for employment recruiting services. HCNA was owned by Margiotta’s wife. The agreement provided that HCNA would be compensated if candidates referred to eHealth were hired. Between June 2011, and January 2014, Margiotta caused HCNA to submit invoices for recruiting services to eHealth that he knew that HCNA had not provided. For instance, on April 19, 2013, HCNA submitted an invoice to eHealth requesting payment of $44,000 for recruiting an employee. HCNA had not recruited the employee, and Margiotta knew that HCNA was not entitled to be paid a recruiting fee for the employee. In total, Margiotta caused HCNA to prepare and submit fraudulent invoices for approximately 23 employees of eHealth that HCNA had not recruited totaling $380,960.

In addition, Margiotta filed a false tax return for the year 2013, claiming income of $260,334, in actuality, his taxable income was $611,195.00, resulting in a tax loss to the  IRS of $137,067.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office.

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