Company president fined over swarf pile

WARREN - The owner of the former General Refractory plant in Champion was fined $5,000 and placed on two years of non-reporting probation Tuesday as a judge ordered him to continue cleaning up what was once a stockpile of between 8,000 and 10,000 tons of steel swarf.

Appearing before Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan and using a cane to walk to the bench, Edgar Knieriem Jr., 66, also known as Ed Kane, apologized to the judge but continued to deny complete guilt in an environmental case, insisting instead that he may have aided or abetted.

Still, Knieriem pleaded guilty in March 2012 to six counts of open dumping and burning in exchange for six other similar counts being dismissed.

The Cockeysville, Md., man has gotten at least 16 continuances in his sentencing date, pleading ill health on a lot of the occasions.

Knieriem's attorney, Mike Boler, turned over to Logan an administrative settlement agreement his client has with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that continues to monitor the cleanup on the 80 acres that runs adjacent to the state Route 5/82 bypass in Champion.

Knieriem also serves as the principal of Von Vttersan Lecopla USA, LLC, a holding company which is being held responsible to complete the cleanup under the federal agreement.

Under the terms of the agreement worked out between Boler and assistant county prosecutor, Charles Morrow, the defendant could be made to pay off fine money in the form of community service at the rate of 40 hours a month if he reneges on the payments.

Morrow never pressed for a halt to the continuances since he said Knieriem was always making progress to cleanup the site.

It was 2009 that local authorities were alerted to the large piles of unprotected grindings and millings that are byproducts from steel producers.

Knieriem identified as the operator of Diversified Resources at 400 Refractory Drive was indicted for the mess. The company started taking in the swarf in 1993 until officials with the Geauga Trumbull Solid Waste District and Trumbull County Sheriff's Office declared it an environmental hazard.

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Company president fined over swarf pile