PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Greenlight Biofuels in Princess Anne is under investigation by the Maryland Department of the Environment for possibly illegally discharging vegetable oil into the storm drains.
There is a red film on top of the water in the storm drain next to the facility. While the oily red film may not be a hazard to the environment, residents are bothered by its presence. MDE says in March they found the vegetable oil in storm drains reaching down to Garland Hayward Park right down the road.
President of Greenlight Biofuels Jim Kingdon says, "MDE and Greenlight determined a very limited quantity of non-hazardous, biodegradable waste vegetable oil passed through an oil water separator that is part of the approved storm water management system."
Maryland Department of the Environment says they have been investigating the company since March.
"The company says it has been discharging from the oil water separator to the storm water pond but the storm water pond is only to receive storm water the company does not have a permit for this type of discharge," say Jay Apperson, MDE spokesperson.
Princess Anne residents say they pleaded with town government to not build the plant years ago but to no avail. Some say there was even an explosion coming from the plant a few years ago.
Lakeya Maddox says she's fed up. "If they have done that illegally I think that they should be shut down because that obviously let's the town know they have no respect towards them for even allowing them to place that area there to put the residents in danger."
MDE says Greenlight could face civic penalty fines of $10,000 a day if found guilty of unauthorized discharging.
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