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September 15, 2006

DEM fines gas company over Tiverton contamination

PROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Environmental Management has imposed fines of $1,000 a day against Southern Union for its failure to come up with remediation plans for contaminated soil in North Tiverton, Governor Carcieri announced yesterday.

The daily fines are retroactive to last Jan. 4, the date the remediation plans were due in DEM offices. Southern Union's fines total $253,000 as of Thursday, the day the notice was mailed.

Southern Union has 20 days to appeal the notice to DEM's Adjudication Division.

Based in Houston, Southern Union is the parent company of New England Gas, which DEM has identified as responsible for the dumping of toxic soil in a North Tiverton neighborhood covering some 50 acres.

DEM has traced the contamination to wastes left from the burning of coal to create gas at the former Fall River Gas Co. New England Gas acquired Fall River Gas in 2000.

-- Journal staff writer Gina Macris

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 5:24 PM | Permalink

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