A local man and his company, Douglas Environmental — which provides private water services to mobile home communities across the state — have been sentenced after pleading to falsifying water safety and discharge tests, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Brian Powell, 57, and Douglas Environmental were sentenced July 9 by Judge Matthew McGivney of Livingston County’s 44th Circuit Court. Powell was sentenced to two years of probation. Douglas Environmental must pay a fine of $50,000.
The individual and his business were charged in April. Last month, the company pled no contest to one count of conducting a criminal enterprise and six counts of forgery. Powell pled guilty to three counts of forgery.
Douglas Environmental and similar providers are required to submit regular water testing to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), and must provide notification immediately if contaminants exceed maximum levels.
According to the release, Powell was “solely responsible” for reporting the company’s test results to EGLE and, on at least six occasions in 2023, falsified test results in water systems serving Moon Lake Mobile Home Park in Shiawassee County, Thornapple Lake Estates in Barry County and Fenton Harbor Condominiums in Genesee County.
Powell also failed to report results over maximum contaminant levels between 2020 and 2023 in communities like Green Brook Estates in Livingston County and others in Calhoun and Genesee.
The investigation was completed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division’s Environmental Investigations, following an administrative review by EGLE. The public was unharmed.
— Contact reporter Makayla Coffee at mcoffee@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Brighton man, company sentenced for falsified water safety results
Reporting by Makayla Coffee, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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By Makayla Coffee, Livingston Daily | USA TODAY Network
