Company official charged in 2022 oil-chemical discharge into Michigan’s Flint River

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A chemical company official has been charged in connection with the unauthorized discharge of oil that left a miles-long dark, oily sheen on the Flint River in Michigan. Rajinder Singh Minhas was arrested and arraigned last week. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Monday that Minhas faces charges of falsely altering a public record, substantial endangerment to the public, discharge of injurious substance to waters of the state and other charges. Minhas served as president of Flint-based Lockhart Chemical which manufactures coatings, metalworking additives, hydraulic fluids and lubricants. About 15,000 gallons of an oil-chemical mixture was released on June 15, 2022. The spill came from a storm sewer that discharges into the river.