Plaquemine man accused of polluting canal with biodiesel waste

An Iberville Parish man is accused of polluting a canal with biodiesel waste while on probation for doing that in 2010.

The Department of Environmental Quality says its investigators arrested 56-year-old Tommy Francise of Plaquemine on Thursday. He's booked with polluting state waterways and illegal dumping of solid waste.

According to a news release, Iberville Parish sheriff's deputies and DEQ criminal investigators found a large area of greasy dirt and used cooking oil and grease being discharged into a canal behind Francise's house.

Francise pleaded guilty in March to doing that in 2010. A state judge ordered him to pay $5,200 in fines and reimbursement for DEQ's investigation, put Francise on three years' probation and ordered him to clean up his property.

He could not be reached for comment.