The settlement was negotiated with EPA, the Department of Justice and DEP for numerous Clean Air Act violations at the former Medusa plant. EPA and DEP alleged that the Wampum plant violated federal and state regulations limiting visible and fugitive emissions of particulate matter.
Fugitive emissions are pollution that is released to the air other than through a flue or stack.
The violations began with Medusa Corp. in 1993 and continued even after Southdown Inc. acquired Medusa's cement plants in June 1998. During the past six years, both EPA and DEP inspectors observed fugitive and visible emissions at various sources in the Wampum plant on numerous inspections. The suit also alleged excessive visible emissions from the stacks of the plant's kilns and coolers since July 1995. In addition, the suit alleged that the company violated its Clean Air Act permit for combustion of hazardous wastes in its kilns from December 1996 until October 1998. This project, which exceeds the requirements of federal and state environmental regulations, will eliminate the emission of dust and particulate matter from these roads and reduce the need to use water to suppress dust.