Gansler
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - The settling of a lawsuit against ExxonMobil Corp., alleged to have released pollutants at its Jacksonville Service Station, was announced Monday by Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler.
According to the complaint, filed in April 2006 in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, ExxonMobil's Jacksonville Service Station in Baltimore County had an underground pipe with a leak. That pipe leaked for over a month, releasing 25,000 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline.
ExxonMobil reported the spill in Feb. 2006 and began remedial actions after discovering the problem.
"This consent decree is a significant victory for the environment and for the residents of Northern Baltimore County who have had to live with this contamination for too long," Gansler said. "We will continue to vigorously enforce the laws that protect our environment."
The civil penalty, $4 million, is the largest environmental penalty ever levied by the state. ExxonMobil agreed in the decree to complete remediation at the site as well as the potential for further penalties.
Up to $1 million per year can be charged if the company does not comply with a strict cleanup schedule.
"Not only does the consent decree ensure a swift cleanup of this pollution, it also serves as a clear warning to polluters that doing so will come with a heavy price," Gansler said.
Exxon was also recently held liable for the loss of natural resources in New Jersey.