Thunderbolt Transmission's got me down and my trust is falling apart!

[Original Timmy Chan's]

That'll take the YEE-HAW out of anybody's day...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5665410.html

April 1, 2008, 1:27PM

Company suspected of dumping hazardous waste

By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE AND MIKE GLENN

Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

State and local authorities today searched an east Houston company that builds engines and transmissions for evidence of alleged illegal dumping of hazardous waste.

The search of Thunderbolt Products involved members of the local environmental task force, which includes the Houston Police Department, Harris County Pollution Control, Harris County constables and Texas Parks and Wildlife, said Capt. Albert Lynch of Parks and Wildlife.

The company is suspected of dumping waste products, such as used oil and anti-freeze, directly into nearby storm drains, officials said.

"It (the waste) goes directly into the local bayous," said Capt. Marvin Tamez, with Texas Parks and Wildlife's environmental crimes unit.

[NenaE]

That slogan brought back some memories. It's sad to think that a business that's been there "forever", as long as I can remember, would do this...just because it's the East End doesn't mean you have to make it nasty. Another brownfield to clean up... My great-grandmother chose this side of town to live in (when Houston was just starting to grow alot -1920's maybe). She loved it.

They are "suspected"...we'll soon see.

Edited April 2, 2008 by NenaE

[houstonmacbro]

They're the ones "that put the yee-haw in your motor and transmissions"? If they really are dumping they should be run out of town.

[Pumapayam]

Well, they did it to themselves. A well known Houston business that has been part of the local culture, as noted with the commercials, will likely get shut down after this bad PR gets around and no one supports their business.

A good thing that comes of this, it scares off any other businesses from disposing wastes into drains and brings some environmental awareness to everyone.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Out of fairness to Thunderbolt, they deny the accusations, and no arrests were made (other than two employees with traffic warrants).

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/5666913.html

The daylong search of Thunderbolt Products involved more than 30 agents from Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Houston Police Department, among other agencies, officials said.

The investigators combed through office records and obtained samples from the drains surrounding the four-building complex in the 6800 block of Harrisburg, near the Gus Wortham Public Golf Course and Port of Houston.

Officials said 40 employees were questioned and released. Houston police took two people into custody for traffic warrants not related to the investigation.

Attorney David Adler, representing Thunderbolt owner Skip Hartley, said his client denied any wrongdoing. Adler also questioned whether an unnamed competitor had made a false accusation.

[ricco67]

That's pretty much I've been rather silent on the matter.

From what I understand, they have been under investigation for a short time. They claim that a rival business made false accusations, but I would have thought a disgruntled employee would have been responsible telling the authorities (true or not).

I was deeply saddened that Thunderbolt's name is being sullied in this matter, but I hope that whatever the truth may be, that it shall BE the truth.