- A federal judge on Guam on Wednesday outlined the allocation of a Singaporean shipping company’s $3 million environmental fine.
- $500,000 is designated as a criminal fine as a violation of the Clean Water Act and shall be paid to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
- This fine will provide immediate funds for federal spill response efforts and compensation for certain damages.
A recent news article published in the Guam Daily Post reveals that a shipping company has been fined to the tune of $3M.
The Judge’s order
District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood stated in an order Wednesday.
- $500,000 is designated as a criminal fine as a violation of the Clean Water Act and shall be paid to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
- This fine will provide immediate funds for federal spill response efforts and compensation for certain damages.
- $2 million is designated as an organizational community service amount and shall be paid to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
- This amount will fund the restoration of staghorn coral and ecosystem services on reef flats of Guam; projects in the Apra Harbor and surrounding areas for direct remedial action against future pollution by seafarers; the restoration of the Manell-Geus watershed and the Piti Bomb Hole Marine Preserve; a University of Guam project designed to improve the watershed health and water quality throughout our island; and other local projects.
- $500,000 is designated as a criminal fine and shall be paid to the Crime Victims Fund and will consist of the last installment payment.
The fine and penalty
The fine and penalty was issued against Pacific International Lines, which owns the container ship M/V Kota Harum, which discharged oily bilge water into the waters of Apra Harbor on Oct. 4, 2019.
Local stevedores saw the dumping and reported to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam.
On Feb. 19, the company was sentenced in federal court after it pled guilty to one count of violating the Clean Water Act and five counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.
2013, the same company pleaded guilty
In 2013, the same company pleaded guilty on similar charges which involved a different ship, the M/V Southern Lily.
In that case, the company was placed on three years’ probation and required to pay a $2 million fine, $200,000 of which was designated as community service by the court.
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Source : The Guam Daily Post
