{"id":14773,"date":"2015-08-19T12:22:45","date_gmt":"2015-08-19T19:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=14773"},"modified":"2015-08-19T12:22:45","modified_gmt":"2015-08-19T19:22:45","slug":"corp-admits-to-dumping-millions-gallons-of-acid-wastewater-into-bayou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=14773","title":{"rendered":"Corp. Admits to Dumping Millions Gallons of Acid Wastewater into Bayou"},"content":{"rendered":"

MISSISSIPPI<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"Environmental<\/a>Mississippi Phosphates Corp<\/strong>. plead guilty to discharging 38 million gallons of acidic wastewater into Bayou Casotte in 2013 resulting in the death of 47,000 fish and the closing of the bayou, officials announced today.<\/p>\n

The corporation, plead guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, a felony, according to officials. It had been cited \u00a0before for hundreds of Clean Water violations, officials said.<\/p>\n

The corporation is in bankruptcy and obligated to help in the funding the estimated $120 million cleanup of its site will transfer of 320 acres of property near its Pascagoula plant.<\/p>\n

\"Grand<\/a>The property will become part of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve,<\/strong> which is managed by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which is part of the\u00a0National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u2019s National Estuarine Research Reserve System, according to authorities.<\/p>\n

The discharge contained pollutants in amounts greatly exceeding corporation’ss permit limits, resulting in the death of the fish and the closing of Bayou Casotte, officials said.<\/p>\n

The corporation also admitted that, in February 2014, it discharged oily wastewater from an open gate on a storm water culvert into the bayou, creating an oily sheen that extended approximately one mile down the bayou from the corporation, officials said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen operators break the law, they can harm natural resources and communities such as those around Bayou Casotte and neighboring waterways,\u201d\u00a0Acting Special Agent in Charge said Andy Castro of EPA\u2019s criminal enforcement program in Mississippi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adding, \u201cOver the years, state, local and federal governments have spent billions of dollars restoring the delicate Gulf Coast ecosystem.\u00a0 Illegally discharged wastewater compromises that hard work.\u00a0 EPA will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold companies fully accountable for their conduct, and to ensure they comply with laws that protect the public and from harm.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These are the facts in this case, according to federal officials:<\/strong><\/p>\n