A Kentucky man in 2015 illegally managed transport and disposal of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) waste, a federal grand jury charged on Thursday.
Cory David Hoskins, of West Liberty, Ky., faces a total of 27 criminal counts: five for fraud and the remainder for violation of hazardous materials law and regulations.
Hoskins was the operator of Advanced TENORM and the affiliated BES LLC, which in 2015 secured a contract with Fairmont Brine Processing for transport of radioactive sludge from West Virginia to a solidification facility in Ashland, Ky., and finally disposal in Irvine, Ky., according to the indictment in the Eastern District of Kentucky. He allegedly subcontracted that work to other trucking companies and drivers.
“HOSKINS falsely represented to Fairmont Brine that Advanced TENORM was comprised of Ph.D. nuclear physicists, engineers, and other experts in sludge management,” according to the indictment, first reported by the Lexington Herald Leader. “HOSKINS falsely represented to Fairmont Brine that Advanced TENORM would transport the vacuum boxes from Fairmont, West Virginia to Ashland, Kentucky via U.S. DOT compliant trucks. HOSKINS falsely represented that he would lawfully complete the solidification of the material and dispose of it in a landfill in Irvine, Kentucky.”
Hoskins knew the TENORM waste was covered under Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations, but nonetheless hired subcontractors that did not have the necessary transport endorsements from the agency. the indictment says. He did not inform those companies and drivers of the nature of the material they were carrying, it adds.
Hoskins also allegedly faked manifests to make it appear the material being transported was nonhazardous. The false manifests also indicated to the Irvine landfill that the material it was receiving was not hazardous, the indictment says.
In total he received $127,110 in proceeds from activities related to the violations of federal law, the indictment says.
The fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The other counts each have a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
