East Texas Man Guilty of Environmental Violations

LUFKIN – A Lufkin man pleads guilty to dumping waste. David Overdorf, 48, pleaded guilty last Friday in Lufkin to disposing of hazardous wastes without a permit. According to information presented in court, Overdorf was the former owner and president of H.O.T. Transport, Inc. (HOT), a Lufkin-based chemical transportation business which offered commercial transportation of industrial liquids such as caustics, ethanol, methanol, hot wax, cresol, and formaldehyde. During the normal course of business, Overdorf directed HOT employees to wash out the interiors of trailer mounted tanks at HOT’s place of business knowing that the tanks contained hazardous wastes. Overdorf also directed HOT employees to pump the wash wastewater containing hazardous wastes from a catch basin into a trailer mounted tank labeled “wastewater” at the business.

On Mar. 10, 2006, Overdorf directed a HOT employee to transport approximately 45,000 tons of tank wash wastewater containing hazardous wastes in a trailer mounted tank from the business to Quala Wash in Houston for disposal and authorized payment of $450 to Clinton Promise for the disposal. These wastes possessed the hazardous characteristic of Ignitability.

As part of his plea agreement with the government, Overdorf has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine. He must also hire an independent environmental engineering firm within four weeks to determine the full extent of soil contamination at HOT’s former business site. Overdorf must also spend up to $250,000 towards the costs of cleaning up any contamination left at the site. HOT is no longer in business. Overdorf faces up to five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.