Oil polluter pays $100,000 fine in Puerto Rico

Oil polluter pays $100,000 fine in Puerto Rico    The U.S. Coast Guard said officials of the Turismo Nautico Del Mar De Cortes in San Juan, Puerto Rico, have agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 for oil pollution. In addition, the company may not operate in U.S. waters for three years.
   During a routine inspection in October 2003, of the vessel 'Topaz,' Coast Guard inspectors found the ship's oily water separator system, meant to keep bilge oil from being pumped overboard, had been intentionally modified to bypass the water separator and discharge contaminants into the ocean.
   A criminal case was subsequently begun against Turismo Nautico, 'which resulted in the agreed-upon fine,' the Coast Guard said in a statement.