\tDetroit, MI \u2014 <\/p>\n
A federal court today ruled against DTE and EES Coke<\/a> for violating the Clean Air Act by allowing a Zug Island facility to emit thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide that led to asthma and early death among residents. The judge ordered DTE and EES Coke to pay a $100 million civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury, a further $20 million to fund community health projects, and to re-apply for the facility\u2019s permit to operate. Residents who were involved in the lawsuit as members of the Sierra Club celebrated the wins.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a monumental victory,\u201d said Theresa Landrum, an environmental justice advocate and Sierra Club member who lives in Detroit in the state\u2019s most polluted zip code, 48217<\/a>. \u201cOur families and neighbors can never get back the years lost to breathing dirty air. This ruling gives me faith that big corporations can be held accountable for breaking the law, and it gives me hope for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n The ruling comes after more than three years of litigation brought by the Department of Justice against EES Coke and its multibillion-dollar parent company, DTE Energy. The Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice and the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center (GLELC), intervened in the lawsuit, working with local members who live in Southwest Detroit, River Rouge, and surrounding communities. In its decision, the Court ordered to companies to form a Community Quality Action Committee and provide it with $20 million to finance air quality improvement projects for community members.<\/p>\n \u201cOur long fight in the courtroom paid off,\u201d said Vicki Dobbins, a Sierra Club member who lives in nearby River Rouge in the 48218<\/a> zip code. \u201cI\u2019m proud of this community.\u201d<\/p>\n The Community Quality Action Committee will be comprised of seven members, including residents and representatives of environmental advocacy organizations, who are charged with maximizing public health and air quality improvements in Ecorse, River Rouge, and 48217. Examples of possible projects include funding and distributing stand-alone HEPA air purifier devices to households near EES Coke, installing filtration systems in schools, and home weatherization programs.<\/p>\n