By AP/KWMU
St. Louis – Oilseed processor Bunge North America and three of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay $13.9 million in a pollution settlement with the federal government.
As part of the deal, the St. Louis-based unit of Bunge Limited will clean up emissions at eleven soybean-processing plants and one corn plant in eight states, eventually cutting more than 2,200 tons of emissions a year.
The settlement was outlined in a consent decree filed in federal court in Urbana, Ill.
It will be subject to public comment and court approval.
The government says Bunge or a subsidiary violated the federal Clean Air Act at some or all of the dozen plants, including Illinois ones in Cairo and Danville.
Bunge will spend $12 million on emission-curbing projects and pay a $625,000 cash penalty, which will be divided among the U.S. government and the eight states.