Ls 312

“Something’s Rotten in Hondo”

Kimberly N. Davidson

Kaplan University

LS312: Ethics and the Legal Environment – 1015

Professor Joshua Dalrymple

February 17, 2015

Introduction

George Mackee, is a father of two, a great husband and provider for his family and a hard worker. He seemingly worked his way up from the bottom and is looking forward to the to the middle management realms he recently progressed to after a move from El Paso, to Hondo, Tx. George is now the manager of a facility in which he has over 700 people in his employ and has subsequently inherited the problems of his predecessor at his company, Ardnak Plastic Inc.

Question #1

In this case study there are several different stakeholders. First you have the citizens of Hondo, the citizens of the Mexican town, you have George and his family, the EPA, and all of the people affected by the plants pollution.

Question#2

The facts in this case are, George’s plant smokestack emissions were consistently above EPA guidelines which were most likely that way before the job was handed off to him. George was informed by his boss Bill that the EPA would levy fines pertaining to the smokestack emissions problems. Bill stated that “no money was available and that other plants in worse condition were able to pass the emissions standards”(SRIH). George found out that the other plants were scheduling their heavy emissions work at night when the EPA officials were not around so that they were able to pass the emissions tests. Bill gave George two options: “eliminate the fines by correcting the problem with no additional money or relocate the plant in Mexico”(SRIH). The relocation of the plant would devastate the town of Hondo financially and it would still be pollution on the U.S. side of the boarder. Mary the wife of George also stated that she did not want the plant to be closed, and most certainly she did not want the stigmatism, retribution or retaliation of her husband closing the plant on their hands....