Multimillion Dollar Settlement In PA Power Plant Pollution Case
The owner of a coal-fired power plant in Indiana County has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit alleging it illegally discharged heavy metals into the Conemaugh River. The Allegheny Front's Scott Bliss has more.
Transcript
OPEN: The owner of a coal-fired power plant in Indiana County has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit alleging it illegally discharged heavy metals into the Conemaugh River. †The Allegheny Front's Scott Bliss has more.
BLISS: The five million dollar proposed settlement is the largest penalty ever paid in Pennsylvania to settle †what's known as a citizen suit under federal environmental law. †PennEnvironment and the Sierra Club sued RRI Energy now known as GenOn Northeast Management Company in 2007. †Their suit alleges that GenOn's Conemaugh plant had violated the federal Clean Water Act since 2005. †
GenOn will pay some of the settlement to the federal government. Three and a half million dollars will go to the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds for improvements to the Conemaugh River. †John Dawes is the Executive Director of the foundation.
DAWES: The number one water quality problem in that watershed is acid mine drainage and the scarring of abandoned mine lands and we're hopeful that this money can help us ramp up the restoration and reclamation of those highly toxic sites.
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BLISS: The proposed settlement requires GenOn to stay in compliance with all federal water discharge regulations or face additional penalties.
For the Allegheny Front, I'm Scott Bliss.