United States v. Standard Oil Co.

The question presented for decision is whether the statutory ban on depositing “any refuse matter of any *225kind or description” 1 in a navigable water covers the discharge of commercially valuable aviation gasoline.

Section 13 of the Rivers and Harbors Act provides:

“It shall not be lawful to throw, discharge, or deposit . . . any refuse matter of any kind or description whatever other than that flowing from streets and sewers and passing therefrom in a liquid state, into any navigable water of the United States . . . .” 33 U. S. C. § 407 (1964 ed.).

The indictment charged appellee, Standard Oil…