In the largest environmental enforcement settlement in U.S. history, Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power has agreed to cut 813,000 tons of air pollutants at 16 of its coal plants annually at an estimated cost of more than $4.6 billion. AEP will also pay a $15-million penalty and spend $60 million on projects to mitigate the impact of past emissions.
The settlement, made public Oct. 9, resolves a lawsuit filed against AEP in 1999 alleging that the company violated the New Source Review requirements of the Clean Air Act.