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October 9, 2007

Power co. to pay $4.6B to reduce Northeast pollution

WASHINGTON -- One of the nation's largest power generators has agreed to end a years-long federal lawsuit filed jointly by Rhode Island and seven other sates, by paying $4.6 billion dollars to reduce pollution that has eaten away at Northeast mountain ranges and national landmarks.

Watch the Department of Justice announcement

“These companies not only increased the amount of harmful air pollutants they were generating but also failed to install the best technologies available," Attorney General Patrick Lynch said in a statement today.

"They did so at the economic expense of power plants here in Rhode Island that were in compliance with the most stringent technology requirements of the Clean Air Act.”

The settlement requires Ohio-based American Electric Power 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.

Read the consent decree online.

"The reduction in pollutants from these huge power plants should help us in gaining attainment of our ozone standard by 2009 as well as reducing particulate matter and regional haze," DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan said in a statement.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com staff reports

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 7:30 AM | Permalink

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