The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced  that Owens-Brockway Glass Container, Inc. ("Owens-Brockway"), pled guilty on December 5, 2003 and was sentenced for violating the Clean Air Act, by failing to notify the Environmental Protection Agency or the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, a regional air pollution agency, prior to demolishing two furnace exhaust stacks present at its facility in Oakland.

According to the information, Owens-Brockway operates a glass container manufacturing business located at 3600 Alameda Avenue in Oakland.  From May 1999 through June 1999, Owens-Brockway demolished two 130 foot tall exhaust stacks without providing the required notice.

Under the plea agreement, Owens-Brockway pled guilty to one count of violating the Clean Air Act.  In pleading guilty, Owens-Brockway admitted to knowingly beginning and performing the demolition on the two exhaust stacks without providing notice to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, as required by the Clean Air Act.  Judge Jensen sentenced Owens-Brockway to pay a $48,000 criminal fine and $50,000 in restitution to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

The prosecution is the result of a 4 year investigation by agents of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and inspectors from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District who referred the case. Maureen Bessette is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case with the assistance of Margaret Glyer.