Environmental
Mar. 14, 2015
Battery recycling plant owners reach accord with federal officials
Exide Technologies, owner of a beleaguered battery recycling plant in Vernon, has reached a deal with federal officials in which it will avoid criminal prosecution by permanently shutting down and cleaning up the site.
Exide Technologies, owner of a beleaguered battery recycling plant in Vernon, has reached a deal with federal officials in which it will avoid criminal prosecution by permanently shutting down and cleaning up the site. The deal stems from an investigation by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which alleges that Exide violated several hazardous waste laws during its decades of operation.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles signed a non-prosecution agreement with Exide late Wednesday, stating that Exide would have likely gone bankrupt if faced with criminal prosecution.
The agreement ensures that the Georgia-based company will continue to operate elsewhere and generate the roughly $100 million needed to close and clean up the Vernon plant, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
fiona_smith@dailyjournal.comFiona Smith
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