Exhibit 31.1

I,  Stephen  A.  Romano,  certify  that:

1.     I  have  reviewed  this  annual  report  on Form 10-K of American Ecology
Corporation;

2.     Based  on  my  knowledge,  this annual report does not contain any untrue
statement  of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the  statements  made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
were  made,  not  misleading  with  respect to the period covered by this annual
report;

3.     Based  on  my  knowledge,  the  financial statements, and other financial
information  included  in  this  annual  report,  fairly present in all material
respects  the  financial  condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
registrant  as  of,  and  for,  the  periods  presented  in  this annual report;

4.     The  registrant's  other  certifying  officers  and I are responsible for
establishing  and  maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  for  the  registrant and have:
a)     designed such disclosure controls  and procedures to ensure that material
information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
is  made  known  to  us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period  in  which  this  annual  report  is  being  prepared;
b)     evaluated the effectiveness of  the  registrant's disclosure controls and
procedures  as  of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this annual
report  (the  "Evaluation  Date");  and
c)    presented in this annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of
the  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  based  on  our  evaluation as of the
Evaluation  Date.

5.     The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee
of  registrant's  board  of  directors  (or  persons  performing  the equivalent
functions):
a)     all  significant  deficiencies  in  the  design  or operation of internal
controls  which  could  adversely  affect  the  registrant's  ability to record,
process,  summarize  and  report  financial  data  and  have  identified for the
registrant's  auditors  any  material  weaknesses  in  internal  controls;  and
b)     any  fraud,  whether  or  not material, that involves management or other
employees  who  have  a  significant role in the registrant's internal controls;
and.

March  12,  2004

/S/  Stephen  A.  Romano
- -----------------------------
 Chief  Executive  Officer


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