Minneapolis Business Changing Pollution Plea

An Ottaw County metal finishing business and its owner are planning to change their pleas to charges accusing them of dumping untreated wastewater into a city sewer system.

A notation filed Thursday shows C & R Plating and its owner, Kevin L. Cline, both of Minneapolis, Kan., have a change-of-plea hearing on Dec. 8 before U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree.

They are accused in a 24-count indictment with submitting fraudulent samples and reports of analysis to conceal the pollution from state environmental regulators.

The indictment alleges the company and its owner violated the Clean Water Act between August and October of last year. Charges include making a false statement to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and illegally dumping pollutants into the Minneapolis sewer system.