By Matthew Monks
A Brooklyn grand jury indicted Quality Concrete of New York Inc. and its chief executive, Constantine Quadrozzi, Tuesday on 22 felony counts and 20 misdemeanor counts of spewing a “cloudy discharge” into the creek from its location at 46-73 Metropolitan Ave., DA Charles Hynes said.Quadrozzi, 32, of East Rockaway, pleaded not guilty before Criminal Court Judge John Walsh and was released on his own recognizance Tuesday.If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of four years in jail and fines up to $50,000 per day. “Quality Concrete ignored numerous warnings to stop polluting the waters of Newtown Creek,” Hynes said in a statement. “This company is carelessly destroying our water supply.” Riverkeeper, a New York City environmental advocate that regularly patrols the creek, brought the discharge to the DA's attention in July, said investigator Basil Seggos.In June 2003, Riverkeeper discovered “a large plume of milky wastewater” discharging from a pipe into the creek. A study later found high amounts of calcium in a water sample, which is harmful to the creek's ecology, Seggos said. The pollution was likely runoff water from Quality Concrete washing its trucks on the site, Seggos said. Hynes said the environmental advocate and representatives from the state Department of Environmental Conservation noticed the discharge 11 times since June 2003. Riverkeeper filed an intent to sue the company last year, Seggos said. “I think Quality Concrete didn't take our environmental concerns seriously,” Seggos said. “This send a clear message that Newtown Creek is an important waterway and that businesses should treat it more respectfully.”Reach reporter Matthew Monks by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
