Cement manufacturer to reduce pollution from 5 plants
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Federal officials say a cement manufacturer has agreed to invest about $10 million to cut emissions of air pollution at five of its plants in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Texas.
Under a consent decree, Cemex Inc. will pay a $1.69 million civil penalty and conduct energy audits at the five plants. It also will spend $150,000 on energy efficiency projects to mitigate the effects of past nitrogen oxide emissions from its plants.
The Department of Justice and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced terms of the settlement Wednesday. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The five Cemex facilities are in Demopolis, Alabama; Louisville, Kentucky; Knoxville, Tennessee; and New Braunfels and Odessa, Texas. Pollution control authorities in Knox County, Tennessee, and Louisville participated in the settlement.
