Lawsuits settled over toxic 'rain' from Bruce Mansfield power plant in ShippingportMay 15 - McClatchy-Tribune Content Agency, LLC - J.D. Prose Beaver County Times, Pa.
After spending seven years tied up in federal court, FirstEnergy Corp. and a group of local residents have settled separate lawsuits alleging that toxic "rain" from the Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant in Shippingport caused life-threatening illnesses and made existing ones worse. On Tuesday, U.S. District Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti entered an order closing the three cases that were all filed in July 2008. No additional information on the settlements was included in the order. The plaintiffs, mostly Beaver County residents, were initially seeking in excess of $6.8 million, as well as unspecified amounts for compensatory, punitive and property damages. They also sought a court injunction to prevent further pollution. "While terms are confidential and I'm unable to provide any details, FirstEnergy is pleased that these three lawsuits have been resolved," said Jennifer Young, a spokeswoman for the Akron-based company. Residents took legal action after "black rain" fallout on July 22, 2006, which was followed by similar events on June 10, July 7 and July 8, 2007, and "white rain" events that the suit describes as "ongoing and chronic," The Times reported in 2008. The so-called "rain" is a mixture of moisture and pollutants from emission stacks. FirstEnergy and the state Department of Environmental Protection reported in 2008 that the black substance coating lawns, vegetable gardens, cars, outdoor furniture and homes was not hazardous to humans. The lawsuits alleged that the black and white rain discharges from Mansfield stacks contained toxic contaminants, including lead, mercury, arsenic, thallium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium and zinc. As a result of being exposed to the chemicals, residents claimed that they developed life-threatening illnesses, including severe respiratory disorders, lung disease, heart disease, allergies and rashes. One Greene Township couple said their then-4-year-old daughter developed alopecia (loss of all body hair), significant gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, and emotional disorders after being exposed to the "black rain" on July 22, 2006, while visiting her grandmother. Before the incident, their daughter was healthy and had no emotional issues, the couple said. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=36194163 |