The Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department announced Tuesday a $2.2 million settlement with rail company CSX for a 2015 oil spill in West Virginia, the Washington Examiner reported.
The agencies said CSX will pay $1.2 million to the federal government and $1 million to West Virginia, the report said.
The spill happened in a train derailment in Mount Carbon, West Virginia, which caused "significant damage and disruption to the community," said EPA enforcement chief Susan Bodine, the report said.
"[Tueday's] settlement imposes serious fines under the Clean Water Act for the 2015 CSX train derailment in West Virginia and seeks to deter similar incidents from happening in the future," said Jeffrey Wood, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's environmental division, the Examiner reported.
The spill occurred Feb. 16, 2015, when more than 100 rail cars carrying crude oil derailed in Mount Carbon, spilling 29,000 gallons of oil, and setting off an explosion that destroyed a home and garage, the Examiner reported.
The explosion led to a state of emergency declaration from local officials. The explosion caused water intakes to be shut down and residents to be evacuated, the report said.
In a separate provision, CSX will improve surface water quality and upgrade a water treatment facility in Fayette County, West Virginia, the report said.
"The 2015 train derailment was a terrible event causing a declaration of a state of emergency, evacuation of our citizens, and destruction to property . . . I'm very pleased that [Tuesday's] actions will hopefully deter similar events in the future," said Mike Stuart, U.S. attorney for the West Virginia southern district, WVAH-TV reported.
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