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PA ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS AND FALSE STATEMENTS LEAD TO CONVICT.

Release Date: 07/12/96
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PA ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS AND FALSE STATEMENTS LEAD TO CONVICT.

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1996

ASBESTOS VIOLATIONS AND FALSE STATEMENTS LEAD TO CONVICTION OF IDAHO WOMAN AND AN ASBESTOS REMOVAL CORPORATION

On July 1, Patricia S. Persons, Secretary-Treasurer of Mountain States Insulation and Supply Co. (MSI) of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and MSI were sentenced after having pleaded guilty to a felony charge of making a false statement to the government and two misdemeanor counts of violating the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) . Persons and MSI failed to obtain accreditation for employees conducting asbestos removal in school buildings. Persons was sentenced to six months home detention, followed by three years probation and paid a $6,000 fine at the time of sentencing. MSI was sentenced to three years probation and was required to pay a $19,000 fine at the time sentence was announced. In addition, both Persons and MSI are to publish an admission of guilt and public apology in three local Idaho newspapers and five trade journals. MSI is an Idaho asbestos abatement contractor which conducts business throughout Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. A large portion of its revenues has been generated through contracts with or on behalf of federal agencies and AHERA-funded school projects. The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General and the EPA Region 10's Air Office.

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