A federal grand jury has charged a Columbia man with violating the federal Clean Water Act.
Joshua Franklin was charged in relation to an incident that occurred in 2018. The indictment claims he was working with oil tanks when a filter failed.
According to the indictment, Franklin ran a pipe to a nearby creek to remove brine water from the oil.
Instead, oil mixed with the water and 4,000 gallons of the mix poured into the creek.
If convicted, Franklin could face three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, in addition to cleanup costs.
