A developer who had been accused of allowing an unauthorized contractor to tear down a structure during the redevelopment of a Sweet Home sawmill has admitted guilty in federal court. The defendant Dan Deslerâ??s actions had caused asbestos fibers to be released into the surroundings of a residential area. Following Deslerâ??s work, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had declared the area as a â??Superfund siteâ?. The agency then spent US$1.6 M for cleaning up in excess of 4 M pounds of asbestos, a notorious carcinogen that was widely used for construction purposes until the 1980s. In his plea deal, the defendant was sentenced on Wednesday in a United States federal court to make reimbursement for the asbestos cleanup conducted by the EPA. Dan Desler was a trustâ??s managing trustee and the trust had been given the site of former Willamette Industries, which is not in use for a long time. There were some plans to develop around 400-600 acres with an upscale housing, a complex intended for artists, anglers and hunters for reasonably priced housing. However, nothing became a reality. Deslerâ??s sentencing also includes probation for 3 years and community service for 300 hours. Desler is 68 years old. The sawmill asset included a few structures in different disrepair stages. In year 2004, a fire was caused by a transient that struck a number of buildings. Firefighters informed state regulators regarding the debris, which seemed to contain dangerous asbestos material. Oregon DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) informed Desler regarding the presence of asbestos. After that, Desler hired an authorized contractor to remove asbestos. However, the work wasnâ??t finished in any undamaged structures, according to the indictment. After 3 years, Desler hired another contractor who was not licensed to handle asbestos. The contractor carried out work for 8 months during which asbestos-containing products were crushed and chip ped. Asbestos is a very dangerous substance when it is broken as its fibers become airborne then. Inhalation of these fibers may cause diseases like mesothelioma, an incurable cancer. The worksite was very close to a residential area. Huge piles of ACMs (asbestos-containing material) were left open. Amanda Marshall, the United States Attorney, said in the sentencing memo that Dan Desler adopted short cuts, which caused large quantities of asbestos to be released into the air. His acts not only contaminated the facility, but polluted the complete surrounding neighborhood as well, the sentencing memorandum says.
