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Joseph Wallace, 50, of Sussex knowingly caused the release of yards of solid waste into the environment. The illegal dumping occurred after Wallace had contacted the property owners at five of the sites and received permission to bring in clean fill. Wallace then contacted haulers that brought in the solid waste to the sites. At the sixth and largest site, Wallace sought to enter into a lease agreement to use the property for a mulch business and then arranged for the illegal dumping, the District Attorney said.
In addition to fill that included wood, plastics, pieces of carpeting, wiring, and other debris, coal ash was also present in the construction and demolition debris. The Coal ash contained a number of other contaminants including lead, mercury, and other metals.
“Those of us who reside in Orange County are privileged to live in an area of unusual natural beauty, and we have a duty to preserve that environment for our children,” Hoovler said in a statement. “Those who cause long-lasting damage to the environment by illegally bringing in waste from other counties, and dumping it here, must be prosecuted and made to clean up the sites that they have contaminated. My office will continue to work with the Department of Environmental Conservation Police, as well as all our other law enforcement partners, to ensure that Orange County’s environment is not contaminated, and the County remains a safe place to live, work, and enjoy the outdoors.”
Wallace will be sentenced to a three year term of probation if he establishes a New York residence prior to sentencing. If he fails to satisfy that condition, he will receive concurrent sentences of 45 days in the Orange County Jail. Sentencing will take place on Nov. 28.
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