Air Polluter to Pay $4.6 Billion

[babylonsister]

Air Polluter to Pay $4.6 Billion
By Lara Jakes Jordan
The Associated Press

Monday 08 October 2007

Washington - One of the nation's largest power generators has agreed to end a years-long federal lawsuit by paying $4.6 billion to reduce pollution that has eaten away at Northeast mountain ranges and national landmarks, The Associated Press has learned.

The settlement requires American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, to reduce chemical emissions that cause acid rain by at least 69 percent over the next decade.

It also fines AEP an additional $15 million in civil penalties and another $60 million in cleanup and mitigation costs to help heal parkland and waterways that have been hurt by the pollution.

Details of the agreement were provided by two people familiar with its terms who spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because it had not yet been filed in federal court. The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency declined comment.

In an interview late Monday night, AEP spokesman Pat Hemlepp confirmed the energy company had agreed to settle but said it planned to spend only $1.6 billion in improvements under the terms of the settlement. Hemlepp said emissions-reducing devices would be installed in two plants in Indiana and Virginia for that cost.

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http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/100907O.shtml