Top-10 DOJ Environmental Fraud Settlements For 2016
Posted January 4, 2017
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Here is our look-back at the top-10 Department of Justice environmental fraud settlements for 2016. Click here for a full chronological listing of all DOJ fraud settlements for 2016.
- Rutgers Organics Corporation — The company agreed to pay an estimated $19 million to complete the cleanup of the Nease Chemical Superfund Site near Salem, Ohio. DOJ
- Honeywell International — Honeywell and Georgia Power Company agreed to pay an estimated $28.6 million to clean up the 760-acre saltwater marsh at the LCP Chemicals Superfund Site in Brunswick, Georgia. DOJ
- Occidental Petroleum — The company’s OXY USA Inc. subsidiary agreed to spend an estimated $40 million to clean up contaminated water and sediments in the Ocoee River and one of its watersheds at the Copper Basin Mining District Superfund Site in Polk County, Tennessee. DOJ
- DuPont — The chemical giant agreed to a settlement valued at approximately $50 million to resolve claims stemming from the release of mercury from the former DuPont facility in Waynesboro, Virginia which led to the contamination of more than 100 miles of river and associated floodplain in the South River and South Fork Shenandoah River watershed. DOJ
- Omega — A group of 66 companies agreed to spend an estimated $70 million to clean up contaminated groundwater at the Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site in Whittier, California. DOJ
- Chemoil Corporation — The company agreed to retire 65 million renewable fuel credits valued at roughly $70 million to resolve alleged violations of the Renewable Fuel Standard program. It also will pay a $27 million civil penalty, the largest in the history of the EPA’s fuel programs, for a total settlement valued at almost $100 million. DOJ
- Bechtel/AECOM — Bechtel National Inc., Bechtel Corp., URS Corp. (predecessor in interest to AECOM Global II LLC) and URS Energy and Construction Inc. (now known as AECOM Energy and Construction Inc.) agreed to pay $125 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by charging the Department of Energy for deficient nuclear quality materials, services, and testing that was provided at the Waste Treatment Plant at DOE’s Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. DOJ
- Chevron Mining Inc.— The energy giant agreed to pay $143 million in cleanup work at the Chevron Questa Mine Superfund site near Questa, New Mexico under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund. DOJ
- Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership — The company agreed to pay $177 million to resolve claims stemming from its 2010 oil spills in Marshall, Michigan, and Romeoville, Illinois. DOJ
- Volkswagen AG — The German auto-maker agreed to spend up to $14.7 billion in two related settlements with DOJ, the State of California and the Federal Trade Commission relating to charges of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers. Whistleblower Insider
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