Earlier this week, a settlement was announced over the asbestos problems that have been plaguing Libby, Montana for years.
W.R. Grace, which is a global chemical company that was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2001 due to mesothelioma settlements, has reportedly agreed to pay the government $250 million.
Settlement Makes History
According to the Department of Justice, the settlement is the highest in the Superfund programs history.
The money from the settlement is supposedly going to reimburse the government for the costs of the investigation and the cleanup of the asbestos that has contaminated the mines in Libby.
Asbestos Contaminates Community
The DOJ has reportedly been removing soil that has been contaminated with asbestos in Libby since 2000.
In 2001, the federal government filed a suit against W.R. Grace to cover cleanup costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
In 2003, the district court of Montana awarded the EPA more than $54 million for the cleanup costs they endured in that year.
Since the company went bankrupt, those costs were never paid and as a result this week’s settlement will cover that as well as the future cleanup costs of the contaminated schools, homes and businesses in the town.
(Source: OHS Online)
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