AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg Friday announced that Christine Giese and Bencor, LLC , were convicted of Texas Water Code violations relating to hazardous waste.

The District Attorney’s Environmental Protection Unit prosecuted the case.

Bencor, LLC, is a woman-owned, minority business in the printed circuit board manufacturing and assembly business.

The charges stemmed from a criminal investigation of drums that were found abandoned in a storage unit on Ponds Springs Road in Austin. The drums were found to contain a hazardous waste which had been transported from Christine Giese’s business located in Brenham, Texas to the Pond Springs storage unit.

The defendant Bencor was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and Giese was placed on a one-year deferred adjudication and ordered to pay $15,138.86 in restitution.

The conviction is a culmination of the collaborative work of the Texas Environmental Task Force. Lehmberg credited the work of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Environmental Crimes Unit, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Environmental Crimes Unit, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office Environmental Protection Unit.

“The defendants orchestrated the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste without regard to the dangers it posed,” said Ivan Vikin, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Texas. “The improper handling and storage of this waste put the unsuspecting public at serious risk. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who refuse to comply with the law will be vigorously prosecuted.”

“This is an important case because it involves the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste and the impact these toxic materials could have on the citizens of Texas,” said Dan McReynolds, manager of TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit. “The Task Force supported the TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit in the successful investigation and prosecution of the case.”

“The Environmental Protection Unit will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm our natural resources,” said Lehmberg. “This prosecution reflects our commitment to defending the environment.”

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg Friday announced that Christine Giese and Bencor, LLC , were convicted of Texas Water Code violations relating to hazardous waste.

The District Attorney’s Environmental Protection Unit prosecuted the case.

Bencor, LLC, is a woman-owned, minority business in the printed circuit board manufacturing and assembly business.

The charges stemmed from a criminal investigation of drums that were found abandoned in a storage unit on Ponds Springs Road in Austin. The drums were found to contain a hazardous waste which had been transported from Christine Giese’s business located in Brenham, Texas to the Pond Springs storage unit.

The defendant Bencor was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and Giese was placed on a one-year deferred adjudication and ordered to pay $15,138.86 in restitution.

The conviction is a culmination of the collaborative work of the Texas Environmental Task Force. Lehmberg credited the work of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Environmental Crimes Unit, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Environmental Crimes Unit, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office Environmental Protection Unit.

“The defendants orchestrated the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste without regard to the dangers it posed,” said Ivan Vikin, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Texas. “The improper handling and storage of this waste put the unsuspecting public at serious risk. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who refuse to comply with the law will be vigorously prosecuted.”

“This is an important case because it involves the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste and the impact these toxic materials could have on the citizens of Texas,” said Dan McReynolds, manager of TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit. “The Task Force supported the TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit in the successful investigation and prosecution of the case.”

“The Environmental Protection Unit will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm our natural resources,” said Lehmberg. “This prosecution reflects our commitment to defending the environment.” 

CAAAD 2012 Travis County Democratic Primary Poll

1. In the campaign for Travis County District Attorney, the candidates are Rosemary Lehmberg and Charlie Baird.  If the Democratic Primary were today, would you vote for:

56.4%  Rosemary Lehmberg
17.6%  Charlie Baird
25.9%  Undecided

2. In the campaign for Travis County Sheriff, the candidates are Greg Hamilton and John Sisson.  If the Democratic Primary were today, would you vote for:

50.0%  Greg Hamilton
13.6%  John Sisson
36.6%  Undecided

3. In the campaign for 167th District Court Judge, the candidates are Efrain De La Fuente, David Wahlberg and Bryan Case.  If the Democratic Primary were today, would you vote for:

30.0%  Efrain De La Fuente
18.9%  David Wahlberg
15.1%  Bryan Case
35.7%  Undecided

4. In the campaign for Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector, the candidates are Bruce Elfant and Stanley Wilson.  If the Democratic Primary were today, would you vote for:

48.1%  Bruce Elfant
16.0%  Stanley Wilson
35.9%  Undecided

Southwest Opinion Research conducted this survey for the Capital Area Asian American Democrats on Monday January 30th and Tuesday January 31st. The survey was conducted using IVR. The sample universe included voters likely to vote in the 2012 Democratic Primary who had voted in the 2006, 2008 or 2010 Democratic primaries. The order of candidate choices was rotated. The margin of error is +/- 4.5%, n=460.