Companies Have Paid More Than $50 Million in Penalties

WASHINGTON, D.C. – New information released today by government watchdog Accountable.US, and reported in HuffPost, finds the Trump administration gave at least $6.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to three companies that have paid more than $50 million in penalties for major environmental violations.

These companies have a clear history of violating public trust and the law by contaminating the environment in pursuit of profits. Our federal government should not be essentially giving back portions of the penalties they’ve paid, but that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing through the PPP.

This is just the latest example of how Trump’s PPP is rife with waste, fraud and abuse. Instead of going to small businesses and helping workers, the flawed program is supporting irresponsible companies that are undeserving federal funding. These companies should be investigated and the money should be returned so that it can help small businesses that truly need federal support.”

Chris Saeger, a spokesperson for Accountable.US

Accountable.US found the following:

  • Fluid Recovery Services LLC, the operator of wastewater treatment plants in Western Pennsylvania, received between $350,000 and $1 million in PPP loans even though it violated the Clean Water Act and paid a $30 million penalty. The company committed “discharge permit violations associated with the treatment of wastewater generated from oil and gas extraction activities.”
  • Countrymark Refining & Logistics LLC, an Indiana-based oil company, was given between $5-10 million in PPP loans even though they previously paid more than $18 million in penalties and pollution controls after violating the Clean Air Act.

Last week, Accountable.US launched a Bailout Fraud Map that tracks reports of abuse and waste in the Trump administration’s PPP. This new endeavor joins the government watchdog’s COVID Bailout Tracker, a website launched earlier this year that tracks PPP spending by industry, loan amount, location, name, congressional district, and more.

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