Settlement Reached between Horsehead Corp., Environmental Group

A federal judge in U.S. District Court has approved a settlement between Clean Water Action and Horsehead Corp. concerning the non-profit‘s lawsuit alleging violations of the Clean Water Act at Horsehead’s zinc smelter in Monaca, Pa.

The settlement includes the following: Horsehead will pay a penalty of $15,000 for past Clean Water Act violations. As additional mitigation for past violations, Horsehead will contribute to two local environmental projects.

Horsehead has agreed to automatic fines to be paid in the event of future violations at the Monaca plant and has agreed to undertake a corrective action plan if there is a significant level of violations in the future.
Horsehead has agreed to continue enhanced maintenance procedures that have yielded improved performance during the past year.

"We are pleased to be able to reach this settlement with Horsehead Corporation," said Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action. "The company was willing to sit down in good faith and provide both compensation for past violations as well as establish a clear mechanism to deal with any future violations at their plant."

The settlement between Clean Water Action and Horsehead Corp. resulted from negotiations initiated following the filing of a citizen suit under the Clean Water Act in December, 2008 by Clean Water Action. The suit alleged that Horsehead's zinc smelter had committed 135 violations of their water discharge permit into the Ohio River and Raccoon Creek between 2004 and 2008.