Mustard Mogul Sentenced for River Pollution

A New Hampshire businessman, Santich, and his company, Old Dutch Mustard Co., were recently sentenced for knowingly discharging pollutants into the Souhegan River without a permit, a violation of the Clean Water Act. The company was fined $1.5 million and mandated to implement environmental compliance and ethics programs.

Santich's scheme involved directing employees to pump acidic wastewater and stormwater through an underground pipe to the river, aiming to reduce shipping costs. This long-standing misconduct, dating back to the 1980s, led to enforcement actions from federal and state environmental agencies. Santich reportedly threatened employees who refused to comply and submitted false documents to obstruct regulatory oversight.

The environmental damage included a reduction in fish populations and impacts on homeowners and recreational users of the river. An EPA toxicologist testified that the pollution likely contributed to a mercury fish consumption advisory, highlighting the serious public health and ecological consequences of the illegal actions.