User:Baconburger/sandbox

Environmental Record
In response to the amount of pollutants emitted by AEP, the EPA filed a lawsuit against the company in 1999 for violations of the Clean Air Act "by making major modifications to many of their plants without installing the equipment required to control smog, acid rain and soot." Electric power plants like AEP, emit approximately 70% of sulfur dioxide and 30% of nitrogen oxide per year. Individually, these pollutants can cause serious respiratory damage and other sicknesses. When the two are combined, they create what's known as acid rain, which causes long term damage to the environment and deterioration of natural and man-made structures. On October 9, 2007, AEP agreed to the terms of the settlement by the Department of Justice. AEP is required to pay a $15 million civil fine to the federal government and $60 million towards cleanup and reparations of damaged land.  Along with paying fines, the company must upgrade all of their operational equipment to the EPA's standards. According to the Department of Justice, not only will "approximately $32 billion per year saved in avoided health-related costs," but emissions will be reduced by an estimated 800 tons per year.