Federal Court Approves Clean Water Act and Proposition 65 Discharge Case

Mar 15, 2017 | Chester

Media Release: November 2, 2015
Contacts: Community Health Watch (Margie Strite); Global Community Monitor (Bart Lounsbury);
ATA Law Group (Matthew Maclear at 415-568-5200)

Federal Court Approves Clean Water Act and Proposition 65 Discharge Case

(Chester, CA) A Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water and Toxics Enforcement Act (Proposition 65) lawsuit, filed by Community Health Watch (CHW) and Global Community Monitor (CGM) against Collins Pine Company, was approved by Hon. Judge Troy L. Nunley in the federal Eastern District Court of California. Collins Pine Company operates a sawmill and biomass-fired boiler in Chester, CA, a small community of approximately 2,000 residents in the northern Sierra Nevada’s. The suit was filed by Aqua Terra Aeris (ATA) Law Group on behalf of the local group, Community Health Watch, and international toxics watchdog, Global Community Monitor.

The Parties, through collaboration and innovative problem-solving, agreed to resolve this case by having Collins Pine Company shift from a wet to a dry boiler air pollution control device. This court-approved settlement largely eliminates the possibility of problematic discharges going forward. In addition to the substantial mitigation measures resulting in cleaner emissions and discharges, Collins Pine Company agreed to fund local environmentally-beneficial projects through the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, perform monitoring and reporting on compliance, in addition to covering costs, fees and significant civil penalties.

“We see tremendous benefits to the community of Chester and its environment resulting from this settlement.” Margie Strite, Co-Executive Director of CHW.

CHW is an unincorporated citizen group located in Chester, California. The mission and focus of CHW is to protect the combined social, health, environmental and cultural conditions that influence individuals and the community in the Chester and Lake Almanor area of Plumas County, California

Global Community Monitor, trains and supports communities internationally in the use of environmental monitoring tools to understand and address industrial toxic pollution threats to their health and the environment. GCM collaborates with an established network of environmental health experts in the US and internationally to leverage resources for the communities.

ATA Law Group represents nonprofits, community groups, property owners, environmental justice communities and individuals impacted by pollution.