An oil well owner who environmental inspectors say dumped a waste oil byproduct into the Left Fork Blaine Creek in Lawrence County has pleaded guilty to federal charges.
The US Attorney’s Office says Josh Ferguson admitted in the plea that he discharged brine water from a metal storage tank into the creek which contaminated the creek to the point that it was orange and killed all the wildlife.
Ferguson faces up to three years in prison and a fine of at least $5,000 per day of the violation which spanned two years.