Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office just released a statement on a settlement with Lafarge. The cementmaker, one of the nation's largest, owns plants around the state. Lafarge has come under fire for its relatively high levels of mercury, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide pollution, which contribute to respiratory disease, acid rain and high levels of toxins in fish and wildlife locally. Under the settlement, Lafarge will have to modernize its Ravena plant, cut emissions and pay a $5 million penalty.
Under today’s settlement, Lafarge will eliminate a total of over 9,000 tons of nitrogen oxide and 26,000 tons of sulfur dioxide each year
from its plants, including those in upwind states whose pollution impacts New York.
Background: Erin Brockovich (yep, that Erin Brockovich!) visited Ravena last year to talk about Lafarge, and Capitol region enviroblogger Andy Arthur blogged it.
