US RAILWAYS FACE POLLUTION LAWSUIT
An environmental group is suing two of the nation's
biggest railways under an untested legal theory that diesel exhaust
is hazardous waste and companies should be held accountable for
health problems suffered by residents living near California rail
yards.
The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a federal court
lawsuit against Union Pacific and BNSF Railway accusing them of
violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which
regulates hazardous solid waste disposal.
The group claims minute particles in diesel exhaust, including
lead, cadmium, arsenic and other toxic elements, are solid
waste.
Burlington spokeswoman, Lena Kent, called the lawsuit
unreasonable and says the railway has spent hundreds of millions of
dollars to reduce emissions.
Noaki Schwartz, Associated Press/OfficialWire
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