PG&E Will Pay Residents Who Sued Over Groundwater Pollution (Brockovich)

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: PG&E Will Pay Residents Who Sued Over Groundwater Pollution
In case made famous by 'Erin Brockovich' film, $295-million settlement includes apology.

By David Pierson and Hemmy So, Times Staff Writers


Pacific Gas and Electric on Friday agreed to pay $295 million to settle claims by more than 1,000 residents in several Mojave Desert towns who said they were harmed by groundwater contamination, a case made famous by the film "Erin Brockovich."

As part of the settlement, the utility apologized to affected residents in the towns where leaks from gas compressor plants in the 1950s through the 1970s polluted the groundwater basin with chromium.

"Clearly, this situation should never have happened, and we are sorry that it did. It is not the way we do business, and we believe it would not happen in our company today," the utility said.

The apology marked a bittersweet victory in Hinkley, Calif., where residents have blamed cancer deaths and birth defects on the polluted water....

***

The settlement comes before the trial was supposed to begin and ends the majority of the claims from Hinkley and other towns, including Kettleman Hills, that said their groundwater was contaminated....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-me-erin4feb04,0,1117860.story?coll=la-home-headlines&track=morenews

[LostinVA]

1. Good. Some people have bitched about Brockovich

But she did a good thing, and set the ball in motion.

Frigging corporate MURDERERS.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. They're called boobs, Ed!

I love that movie.

[bluestateguy]

3. I'd love to see PG&E just go broke and out of business

They were our 'lectric company when I lived out there. Just plain evil.

[Greeby]

4. A shame Ed isn't here to see it

:cry:

[zann725]

5. Terrific "win." But it took HOW long? And how many deaths, and how many

years since the initial verdict...and widely-publicized movie, and still...how many years 'til justice? And how many times in the future will there be an Erin B. or her gutsy boss to put it all on the line for the 'little people?'

The bulk of this case took place BEFORE Environmental Protection was as emaciated as it is today, and the courts were as stacked as they are with corporate-interest types. Sadly, if this case had to start over from square-one today, if the movie hadn't highly-publicized it, I doubt the verdict would be as favorable... would be seen as "frivolous class action," or otherwise "derailed."

Nevertheless...GREAT judgement! Didn't mean to take away from its glory. Sorry.

[ShockediSay]

6. Too bad Bush's 'tort reform' couldn't have nipped this in the bud

:sarcasm:

[orleans]

7. damn! that took a long time

(and i loved that movie! made me feel as if a single person can indeed make a difference--and that we could change the world)