August 20, 2015
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Download PDF
The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced in an August 19th news release that Mississippi Phosphates Corp. (“MPC”) pleaded guilty to a felony information charging the company with a criminal violation of the Clean Water Act.
The news release states that MPC owned and operated a fertilizer manufacturing facility located on Bayou Casotte in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
MPC is stated to have admitted discharging more than 38 million gallons of acidic wastewater in August 2013. The pollutants in the discharge are alleged to have been in amounts exceeding MPC’s permit limits.
The company is also stated to have admitted that in February 2014 it discharged oily wastewater from the open gate on a stormwater culvert into Bayou Casotte creating an oily sheen.
MPC is stated to be in bankruptcy. However, the plea obligates it to assist in funding a $120 million cleanup of the site.
The agreement also includes the transfer of 320 acres of company property near its Pascagoula plant to become part of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Click here to download a copy of the news release.
The Between the Lines blog is made available by Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. and the law firm publisher. The blog site is for educational purposes only, as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law. This blog is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Use of this blog site does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Mitchell Williams or the blog site publisher. The Between the Lines blog site should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.