ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) has submitted a Motion to Intervene on behalf of Catawba Riverkeeper in the case against New-Indy papermill in Catawba.
This legal action was originally launched on February 13th, 2023 and accuses New-Indy of disregarding the Clean Water Act with their current waste disposal and storage habits.
As an intervenor, Catawba Riverkeeper hopes to receive a court order that would ensure the pollution of the Catawba River from industrial waste is brought to a halt.
PRESS RELEASE:
Catawba Riverkeeper files to join the clean water citizen suit against New-Indy mill in Catawba, SC.
McAdenville, NC – Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Catawba Riverkeeper has filed a Motion to Intervene in the latest case against the New-Indy papermill. We are seeking the court’s approval to join the citizen suit which was filed on February 13th, 2023.
The suit alleges that New-Indy’s waste disposal and storage practices violate federal pollution statutes, including the Clean Water Act. As an intervenor, our organization hopes to secure the cleanup of industrial waste stored on the banks of the Catawba River. What does it mean to intervene in a lawsuit?
Under federal law, interested parties can request to join a lawsuit after it has been filed. Catawba Riverkeeper has filed to intervene to represent our mission, the interests of our members, and the well-being of the Catawba River. The plaintiffs’ legal team has welcomed the motion.
What is the lawsuit about? There are currently several active cases against New-Indy, which are related to the smell. While we are sympathetic to nuisance and air quality concerns, Catawba Riverkeeper is focused on the mill’s current and future impacts to the Catawba River. The case we are joining (Chin et al v. New-Indy Catawba LLC, 0:23-cv-00602 (D.S.C. 2023)) alleges violations of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which governs the handling and disposal of solid waste.
Like the millions of tons of coal ash now being excavated from sites along the Catawba as a result of prior litigation, papermill waste is being stored in large unlined lagoons near the banks of the Catawba River. Our goal is to protect current and future users by requiring the removal of New-Indy’s waste from unlined storage near the river.
More information on the citizen suits can be found at newindyclassaction.com Interview Requests Email brandon@catawbariverkeeper.org or call 704-679-9494 ext. 102 to schedule an interview. About Catawba Riverkeeper Catawba Riverkeeper is the only non-profit on the water advocate for the entire 8,900 miles of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.
With a vision for clean and plentiful water for all, Catawba Riverkeeper works to protect and provide accurate, science-based information about your water and the issues affecting it.
