Department of JusticeOffice of Public AffairsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThursday, October 1, 2015Manufacturer Committing Close to $2 Billion in Funding to Address Environmental Impacts From Phosphoric Acid and Fertilizer ProductionThe Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Mosaic Fertilizer LLC that will ensure the proper treatment, storage and disposal of an estimated 60 billion pounds of hazardous waste at six Mosaic facilities in Florida and two in Louisiana. The settlement resolves a series of alleged violations by Mosaic, one of the worlds largest fertilizer manufacturers, of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which provides universal guidelines for how hazardous waste must be stored, handled and disposed. The 60 billion pounds of hazardous waste addressed in this case is the largest amount ever covered by a federal or state RCRA settlement and will ensure that wastewater at Mosaics facilities is properly managed and does not pose a threat to groundwater resources.At Mosaics eight facilities in Florida and Louisiana, hazardous waste from fertilizer production is stored in large piles, tanks, ditches and ponds; the piles can reach 500 feet high and cover more than 600 acres, making them some of the largest manmade waste piles in the United States. The piles can also contain several billion gallons of highly acidic wastewater, which can threaten human health and cause severe environmental damage if it reaches groundwater or local waterways.Under the settlement, Mosaic Fertilizer will establish a $630 million trust fund, which will be invested until it reaches full funding of $1.8 billion. These funds will cover the future closure of four Mosaic facilitiesthe Bartow, New Wales and Riverview plants in Florida and the Uncle Sam plant in Louisianaand also be put toward the treatment of hazardous wastewater at and long-term care of those facilities and two additional facilities which are already undergoing closure. The Mosaic Company, Mosaic Fertilizers parent company, will provide financial guarantees for this work, and the settlement also requires Mosaic Fertilizer to submit a $50 million letter of credit.Mosaic will also spend $170 million on projects to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing and waste management programs at its facilities and $2.2 million on two local environmental projects. Mosaic will also pay a $5 million civil penalty to the United States and $1.55 million to the State of Louisiana and $1.45 million to the State of Florida, who joined the Department of Justice and EPA as plaintiffs in this case.This settlement represents our most significant enforcement action in the mining and mineral processing arena, and will have a significant impact on bringing all Mosaic facilities into compliance with the law, said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. Moreover, through this settlement, we establish critical financial assurance to cover the enormous closure and care costs at all these facilities. This sets the standard for our continuing enforcement of RCRA in the entire phosphoric acid industry. And, it reflects our emphasis on working jointly with impacted states.This case is a major victory for clean water, public health and