Flash News – Youngstown and Ben Lupo

[jay]

Did the City of Youngstown ever give D&L a tax abatement?

[Towntalk]

The man accused of ordering employees to dump oilfield waste down a storm sewer drain has resigned from his company.

Our newspartner, the Tribune Chronicle, reported Ben W. Lupo's resignation as director and trustee of D&L Energy was among more than 100 pages of documents filed by his attorneys on Tuesday with the state Oil and Gas Commission.

The resignation was dated Feb. 15, one day after Lupo pleaded not guilty to federal charges of violating the Clean Water Act.

His positions were transferred to his wife Holly Serensky Lupo.

Lupo's attorneys filed the papers with the commission, as an attempt to get back D&L's operating permits. The company's attorneys have argued that D&L Energy should not be penalized for actions alleged to have occurred under the direction of Lupo at Hardrock Excavating.

Lupo, 62, of Poland, along with his former employee Michael Guesman and Hardrock Excavating, are facing a federal criminal charge stemming from an incident in which crude oil and chemically-laced brine were dumped into a storm sewer on the D&L Energy property, 2761 Salt Springs Road, and ultimately drained into the Mahoning River.


NOTE: Lupo's wife took over ... so will there be changes or just the same old game with Ben pushing the buttons from the sidelines?