The companies involved in demolishing the Standard Coosa Thatcher textile plant are facing felony charges for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act when asbestos was improperly removed from site.
Staff File PhotoAttorneys for defendants accused of asbestos pollution tried to put local air regulators on trial Wednesday.
For much of the day in U.S. District Court, five defense attorneys fought to keep out of evidence the field notes and reports by asbestos coordinator Kathy Jones with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau.
Those notes indicate continuing confusion about the amount of asbestos estimated at the site by different people. The notes also show that lab tests on three samples of white material found at the demolished Standard Coosa Thatcher contained hazardous asbestos.
The defense attorneys also hammered at Jones, a prosecution witness, about whether she did her job properly and about her motivations in handling the asbestos violations alleged against property owner Donald Fillers, Fillers’ employee David Wood, demolition contractor James Mathis, Mathis Cos. Inc. and Watkins Street Project Inc.
The three men and two companies are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, Clean Air Act violations, false statements, obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting.