donnay
11-08-2012, 05:18 PM
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Oil companies to pay state $35m for groundwater contamination
Two oil companies have agreed to pay New Hampshire $35 million to settle claims that they contaminated groundwater with gasoline.
Attorney General Michael Delaney announced Thursday that a lawsuit filed against Shell Oil Company and Sunoco, Inc., in Merrimack County Superior Court in 2003 had been settled when the companies admitted selling gasoline containing MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) knowing that it would contaminate ground water supplies, Delaney said.
The lawsuit, which is still set to move forward early next year against other companies, alleges that the companies knew the gas presented “unique hazards,” specifically that MTBE travels more than other gas and is harder to clean up, Delaney said.
The money paid as part of the settlement will be used for a comprehensive investigation of contamination sites and cleanup efforts, Delaney said.
“We must ensure that our public waters remain clean and safe for the benefit of all our citizens,” Delaney said. “This is a substantial recovery that will be used to cleanup contaminated ground waters throughout New Hampshire.”
Trial against other oil companies, including Exxon-Mobil Corporation, Irving Oil Co., Citgo Petroleum, ConocoPhillips Co., and Vitol S.A., is scheduled to begin in Concord on Jan. 7, Delaney said.
– JOSEPH G. COTE (http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/982930-469/oil-companies-to-pay-state-35m-for.html)
Oil companies to pay state $35m for groundwater contamination
Two oil companies have agreed to pay New Hampshire $35 million to settle claims that they contaminated groundwater with gasoline.
Attorney General Michael Delaney announced Thursday that a lawsuit filed against Shell Oil Company and Sunoco, Inc., in Merrimack County Superior Court in 2003 had been settled when the companies admitted selling gasoline containing MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) knowing that it would contaminate ground water supplies, Delaney said.
The lawsuit, which is still set to move forward early next year against other companies, alleges that the companies knew the gas presented “unique hazards,” specifically that MTBE travels more than other gas and is harder to clean up, Delaney said.
The money paid as part of the settlement will be used for a comprehensive investigation of contamination sites and cleanup efforts, Delaney said.
“We must ensure that our public waters remain clean and safe for the benefit of all our citizens,” Delaney said. “This is a substantial recovery that will be used to cleanup contaminated ground waters throughout New Hampshire.”
Trial against other oil companies, including Exxon-Mobil Corporation, Irving Oil Co., Citgo Petroleum, ConocoPhillips Co., and Vitol S.A., is scheduled to begin in Concord on Jan. 7, Delaney said.
– JOSEPH G. COTE (http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/982930-469/oil-companies-to-pay-state-35m-for.html)