Rita Lavelle Convicted of Perjury: EPA Superfund Corruption Confirmed

A federal jury convicts EPA official Rita Lavelle of perjury for lying to Congress about her handling of the $1.6 billion Superfund toxic waste cleanup program. Lavelle, who headed the Superfund division, is found guilty on four of five felony counts for false testimony regarding her knowledge that her former employer, Aerojet-General Corporation, was involved in the controversial Stringfellow Acid Pits hazardous waste case. She lied about when she learned of Aerojet’s involvement and failed to recuse herself despite obvious conflicts of interest, demonstrating systematic corruption in environmental regulation.

U.S. District Judge Norma Johnson sentences Lavelle to six months in prison, a $10,000 fine, and five years probation with mandatory community service. Lavelle serves three months in federal prison, becoming the only EPA official indicted in the broader Superfund scandal that forced 21 officials from the agency. The conviction confirms congressional allegations that Reagan administration EPA officials manipulated Superfund cleanup priorities for political purposes, delayed enforcement against corporate polluters, and retaliated against whistleblowers who exposed the corruption.

Lavelle’s prosecution reveals the revolving door between industry and regulatory agencies during the Reagan era. After Reagan fired her in February 1983 amid the growing scandal, she maintained she was following administration orders. Congressional investigations documented that Superfund cleanups were delayed or prioritized based on political considerations, including benefits to Republican congressional campaigns, while companies responsible for contamination faced minimal accountability. The case exemplifies regulatory capture: industry insiders appointed to agencies designed to regulate them systematically favor their former employers over public health.