Mesothelioma Medical

The EPA charged case against three local men for performing illegal asbestos removals throughout central and upstate New York.

John F. Wood, 57, and Mark Desnoyers, 52, both of Plattsburgh, and Curtis Collins, 50, of Willsboro are the 3 who were accused of numerous illegal activities in connection with asbestos removal in commercial and public buildings and private homes.

Wood faces four Clean Air Act violations for allegedly failing to report the release of the hazardous substance into the environment, obstructing justice relating to false and fraudulent documents he provided to investigators and making false statements. He was charged for violation of the Clean Air Act, Superfund Act and mail-fraud statute.

According to Glenn T. Suddaby, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, Wood may be punished with a 63-year prison term and pay a $2.5 million fine if convicted. He was operating an asbestos abatement company that served the North Country.

Desnoyers, who operated Adirondack Environmental Associates Inc., an air-monitoring company, was accused of falsifying many laboratory samples to convince clients that all asbestos was removed when gross contamination remained. He is facing 25 years in prison and pay a $1.25 million fine for a Clean Air Act violation and three counts of making false statements to Environmental Protection Agency agents.

Collins, who initially worked for wood and started his own company later, was charged with a Clean Air Act violation and making false statements to EPA agents. He is expected to receive a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted. He was the owner of Adirondack Asbestos, an asbestos abatement company at Lake Placid.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral popular in manufacturing and industry due to its strength, chemical and thermal stability. The exposure to asbestos causes severe health hazards including mesothelioma, a deadly cancer. The EPA has stated that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.