Wright Township, PA: (Jul-06-07) A class action contamination lawsuit was filed against Foster Wheeler Corp. in March 2006, calling into question the company's improper disposal practices at its manufacturing facility in the Crestwood Industrial Park. The suit alleged that the facility contaminated groundwater with the industrial solvent trichloroethylene, a suspected carcinogen.
In a settlement reached, Foster Wheeler agreed to pay $1.64 million to resolve allegations. In agreeing to the settlement, Foster Wheeler accepted no responsibility for the contamination, which was discovered in residential wells along Church Road, Sunset Gardens, and South Mountain Boulevard in October 2004. The estimates are based on full participation and an assumption of almost $537,000 in costs, which includes attorneys' fees.
To be eligible, claimants must complete several requirements, including hooking up to a public water supply, which would be paid for by Foster Wheeler. An additional $40,000 was made available to compensate for property damage caused by water when the polluted wells were capped. Further, the settlement doesn't seek to remediate the contamination or compensate for any potentially related health problems resulting from the trichloroethylene contamination. The settlement will grant Jeffrey and Sarah Martin an extra $10,000 for attending meetings and consultations with attorneys. [TIMES LEADER: IMPROPER DISPOSAL]
