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Bill Cosh 608/266-1221
MADISON – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that the Wisconsin Department of Justice has reached settlements in environmental enforcement cases against Randall Cornford and his corporation for various violations in Crawford and Grant Counties.
According to the complaint filed at the request of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Crawford County, Randall J. Cornford and his business, River Junction Mobile Home Services, LLC, brought a number of mobile homes to a rural property in the County and burned them along with other miscellaneous debris. A sample of the debris pile, collected by DNR staff, documented the presence of asbestos-containing material. Cornford and River Junction were charged and have admitted in the settlement that they failed to pre-inspect for asbestos, notify the DNR of the demolition of the mobile homes, open burning of the homes, and operating a solid waste facility without a license. The property has since been cleaned up by Crawford County.
Crawford County Circuit Court Judge Michael Kirchman ordered Cornford to pay $17,500 for forfeitures and various costs, including $3,000 for the costs of investigation by the DNR, $2,500 for attorney’s fees to the Department of Justice and $5,000 to Crawford County for reimbursement of clean up expenses. River Junction was ordered to pay $28,000 for forfeitures and various costs, including an additional $10,000 for attorney’s fees to the Department of Justice and $5,000 to Crawford County for reimbursement of clean up expenses.
According to the complaint filed at the request of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Grant County, Randall J. Cornford and River Junction Mobile Home Services, LLC, illegally filled a wetland with solid waste for use as a mobile home storage area without any permits at his property on Highway 18 in Grant County. The property has subsequently been remediated by Badger State Bank who is foreclosing on the property.
Grant County Circuit Court Judge George S. Curry ordered Cornford to pay $3,000 for forfeitures and various costs. River Junction was ordered to pay $17,000 for forfeitures and various costs, including attorney’s fees to the Department of Justice.
“The open burning of trailer homes with their plastic, foam, rubber, metal, and insulation components is a significant source of hazardous air pollutants, dioxins, asbestos, and heavy metal containing waste particulates,” Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said. “The releases are a health risk to Wisconsin citizens and a serious violation of environmental protection laws which the Wisconsin Department of Justice in conjunction with the DNR will continue to enforce.”
Assistant Attorney General Steven Tinker represented the State.
