Four companies have agreed to a $437,255 settlement with the federal government for their role in contaminating the Village of Rye Brook with thousands of pounds of toxic mercury.
The settlement with American Iron & Metal Co., Culp Industries, Paramount Global, and Public Service Company of New Hampshire will cover the costs incurred by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the contamination, which occurred at Port Refinery, a mercury refining business bordered by private residences. The EPA determined that Port Refinery took virtually no environmental precautions or safety measures during its mercury refinement process between the 1970s and 1990s; the four companies delivered mercury to Port Refinery during its period of operations.
The contamination resulted in two separate EPA remediation projects involving more than 9,300 tons of contaminated soil.
“With an additional $437,255 in cleanup costs that will be recovered by EPA, this settlement is good news and it brings the total amount recovered from responsible parties for this cleanup to more than $2.8 million,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This case demonstrates EPA”™s commitment to clean up harmful pollution while holding accountable those entities that are responsible for cleanup costs.”
Photo courtesy of EPA
