Vermont Cheese Maker Receives Fine, Probation for Hazmat Spill

In 2005, workers at Cabot Creamery, a well known Vermont cheese maker, removed ammonia from an old condenser in the company's refrigeration system, but failed to remove the hose from a 55-gallon catch drum, causing the ammonia to overflow into the nearby Winsooki River. The following day, the same thing happened, allowing more ammonia to find its way to the river by way of a storm drain. Boston.com reports that a similar event had also occurred in 1983, where Cabot, as part of a civil settlement, agreed to implement policies for properly handling hazardous materials. "Cabot's irresponsible handling of hazardous chemicals caused miles of catastrophic damage to the Winooski River" said US EPA agent Michael Hubbard. "This was not the first time, and although Cabot employees may not have intended to cause this significant harm to the river, their carelessness and the lack of management safeguards was a breach of the public's trust". The damage, which Hubbard called catastrophic, was responsible for the killing of plant life and 14,500 fish within a miles-long stretch of the river. After pleading guilty to one count of negligently discharging hazardous materials, Cabot was fined $50,000 and placed on three years' probation on May 5th for the 2005 hazmat spill. In a case heard in Burlington, VT by U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions III, Cabot was also ordered to spend

$50,000 on a "Supplemental Environmental Project," develop a compliance and ethics program and hire an independent consultant to evaluate its compliance with the federal Clean Water Act

. Cabot takes full blame for their actions with spokeswoman Roberta MacDonald saying, 'We've said `mea culpa.' We took complete responsibility immediately. We called all the proper authorities. We know we made a horrible mistake, and we've done nothing for the last three years but try to make the river better'.