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McWane Resolves AL Environmental Case Dec 18, 2009
McWane Inc. Resolves Alabama Environmental Case Birmingham, AL December 18, 2009 - Under an agreement announced today, McWane, Inc., the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and the United States Department of Justice have resolved a decade-old environmental case involving conduct that occurred more than 10 years ago. President Ruffner Page, Jr. released the following statement: "Four years ago at the original sentencing proceedings in this case our chairman, Phillip McWane, reaffirmed his commitment to restore our company to the ranks of those that people admire," said Page. "Over the past 10 years our team members have transformed our company into the industry leader in environmental, health and safety performance. With this plea we not only acknowledge and accept our responsibility for the past, we also embrace our present and future responsibility to our employees and neighbors to continue our progress. Our position as the best in the industry is a point of tremendous pride for us, and something that we will not relinquish." "With the goal of 100 percent compliance, 100 percent of the time, we dedicated ourselves to go beyond mere compliance and to become the model for our industry," said Page. "Along the way McWane has spent more than $300 million on environmental and safety capital projects and operating expenses. We also added more than one hundred environmental, health and safety professionals and specialists to our existing staff, and undertook hundreds of thousands of hours of safety and environmental training." "We would like to thank the US Attorney and the Department of Justice for their professionalism, which made it possible for us to resolve this matter in a manner that not only serves the interests of justice but also acknowledges our commitment to improving the environment and the health and safety of our team members and our communities," said Ruffner Page. After the trial of this case in 2005, the company was convicted of 20 felonies and fined $8,000,000, or at our option a fine of $4 million plus completion of Greenwood Park. Those convictions were overturned on appeal, with one count dismissed and the remainder remanded for a new trial. Under the plea agreement announced today, the company will plead guilty to nine violations of the Clean Water Act, pay a fine of $4,000,000, and complete the Greenwood Park Project. Greenwood Park, located along Village Creek just north of Patton Park in Birmingham Alabama, will be an important step forward in the completion of the Village Creek Greenways Initiative. The Park helps improve the water quality of Village Creek through the construction of a natural stormwater collection and treatment system lined with native shrubs and grasses that will filter stormwater from nearby roadways and other areas as it passes through the Park on its way to Village Creek. In addition, the Park will provide recreational opportunities for the community, including a multi-use athletic field, a playground and walking paths. McWane has completed the design and is nearing completion of the permitting process. Assuming that all permits and other approvals are issued by the City of Birmingham, groundbreaking should occur in the spring of 2010. About McWane Inc.
McWane remains committed to American manufacturing, as one of the few remaining domestic manufacturers in the waterworks industry. Many other companies in the industry have moved their manufacturing operations overseas at the expense of American jobs and to avoid U.S. environmental and workplace health and safety standards. McWane, however, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to modernize its U.S. plants and make them safe, efficient, and compliant, preserving thousands of well-paying American jobs and the futures of many communities in the process. Awards and recognitions received by McWane for its success in Environmental, Health and Safety performance include:
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