MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A California company operating a facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi, was ordered to pay almost $5 million for discharging wastewater into a Publicly Owned Treatment Works without a valid state permit.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi states View Inc. employees at its sole manufacturing plant in Olive Branch negligently discharged the wastewater without a permit from December 2018 and June 2021.

View Inc., headquartered in Milipitas, California, previously pled guilty to a charge of negligently discharging wastewater into a Publicly Owned Treatment Works without making an application for and obtaining a valid state permit, according to court documents.

The company was sentenced Tuesday to a three-year term of probation, ordered to pay $3 million fine, and make a $450,000 community service payment to the DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority. As part of the resolution of criminal charges, View Inc. also has to pay $1.5 million in a separate but related civil Agreed Order with the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality.

The $450,000 payment is expected to be used for expanding wastewater treatment capacity in DeSoto County.

“When companies place profit and convenience above public safety, we will do all we can to punish that behavior and protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This illegal discharge of wastewater into the public treatment facility demonstrated a blatant disregard for the safety and wellbeing of citizens in our District and we applaud the stiff fines imposed by the court in this case.”