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Spill Investigation Not All Bad News for Kinston

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KINSTON — The State Bureau of Investigationhas been looking at evidence of sewage spills in the city of Kinston forseveral weeks with the probe focused on tthe spills themselves, and theway the plant documented them. 

Monday, investigators partially cleared the city of blame, so that partof the news is good for Kinston. But, an investigator with the SBI's EnvironmentalCrimes Unit says the case isn't closed yet. They're still investigatingcity sewage workers in connection with charges of falsifying records. 

Kinston has had its troubles keeping sewage where it's supposed to be.From June 1996 until April 1997, five spills were discovered at city wastewatertreatment plants. The state said the spills went unreported, and it calledin the SBI's environmental crimes unit. 

At the time, according to Neuse River Keeper Rick Dove, environmentalistscharged a crime had already been committed. 

 

The state did something about it. The result of its investigation isthat there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing on Kinston's part. Thereport also states there is no evidence of raw sewage from Kinston's plantsmaking it to the Neuse. 

Kinston City Manager David Walker says the city was a victim of badtiming. 

 

Kinston is not off the hook, however. The SBI confirms it is continuinga second probe, possibly involving falsification of records. 

 

The state fined Kinston 72,000 dollars months before the SBI reportcame out. The city says it will use that report to help fight for a repealof at least part of that fine. Investigators say their second probe intoKinston's sewage practices will be finished in the near future. 

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