Pollution case nets guilty plea

The Daily Inter Lake

Dale Jacobsen of Columbia Falls pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal District Court to pumping raw sewage into the Flathead River in April.

Jacobsen, 50, was purchasing J and M Septic and was not licensed by the state at the time.

Although Jacobsen avoided a trial with his plea, the state had planned to prove he pumped the septic tank at a Columbia Falls home, then drove his truck April 24 to the Kokanee Bend fishing access.

A witness watched Jacobsen back his truck to the river's edge, place a hose from the truck into the river and dump sewage directly into the Flathead. The witness confronted Jacobsen, the state said, who denied discharging sewage and said he was in fact drawing water into the truck.

The witness pointed to the sewage visible in the water, then Jacobsen turned off the pump, packed up the hose and left.

In an interview June 20 with the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the state said, Jacobsen admitted intentionally dumping sewage. He told the agent that he knew it was illegal but justified it to himself by saying the sewage was mostly water.

For his violation of the Clean Water Act, Jacobsen faces the possibility of three years in prison, a fine of as much as $50,000 and a year's supervised release.

He was released on special conditions. His sentencing is scheduled for May 31.