Ship company agrees to $1 million oil pollution fine

A New Orleans-based ship operator has promised to pay a $1 million fine for pollution violations after a Coast Guard investigation in Baltimore led to the discovery of the improper discharge of hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil-contaminated waste. Pacific-Gulf Marine Inc. (PGM) agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges that it allowed four of its ships to dump untreated waste, the Justice Department announced yesterday. As part of the plea agreement, the company will also pay $500,000 for community service. The agreement still needs approval from a judge in federal court.