Kentucky firm, principal admit to illegal disposal of hazardous railroad ties in Chenango County

A Kentucky company and a principal have admitted to illegally dumping contaminated railroad ties in Chenango County and creating fake receipts to conceal the illegal disposal.

The ties were treated with hazardous materials, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Basil Seggos, commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), said in announcing the convictions.

Cross Tie Disposal, Inc. (Cross Tie), a Hickory, Kentucky–based freight shipping and trucking company, pled guilty to grand larceny in the second degree (a class C felony). It also pled guilty to endangering public health, safety, or the environment in the third degree (a class E felony).

Harold Young, 48, Cross Tie Disposal’s VP, pled guilty to one count of endangering public health, safety, or the environment in the third degree.

Both Cross Tie and Young were sentenced in Chenango County Court to three-year conditional discharges.

As part of their respective sentences, both Cross Tie and Young agreed to pay more than $117,000 in penalties and fines and are financially responsible for removing and properly disposing the illegally dumped railroad ties, James’ office said.

“Exposure to hazardous materials puts New Yorkers and our environment at risk,” James said. “Not only did Harold Young and his company jeopardize the health of New Yorkers, they also violated state law and tried to cover their tracks. I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to investigate and halt fraud and punish offenders, and I thank DEC and Commissioner Seggos for their collaboration and shared commitment to this cause.”