Connecticut Attorney General's Office

Press Release

Attorney General Applauds Guilty Plea By Atlantic Wire Vice President Who Failed To Report Pollution Of Branford River

July 21, 2009

"The U.S. Attorney's Office did outstanding work bringing this case to justice. I am pleased that my office's civil case winning a $1.5 million settlement helped contribute to former Atlantic Wire Vice President Robert Meyer's guilty plea for failing to report toxic discharges into the Branford River.

"Instead of sounding the much-needed alarm, Meyer left DEP in the dark as pollutants poured into the Branford River killing hundreds of blue crab. Meyer neglected his duties and legal obligations as toxins turned the river's waters into a deadly chemical soup. The company assigned an unqualified employee to pollution control and when the inevitable spill happened, Meyer failed to report it.

"This case sends an unmistakable message: Despoiling Connecticut's waterways is a crime resulting in powerful punishment. My hope is the court will impose a sentence warranted by the facts, a powerful deterrent to potential polluters."

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