Document pp40bjNb6w6zLQvXyeqKdGYNk

rnr pr!nr. r* "futv t. SC01TSD0R0, ALA. SEfiTINCl D. CIRC. N. AVAIL DEC 301976 rmiM, ala. A, I:r..S il.O-JO sun. JO 910 rv'-tross, r,v b. ic,c nrc 3 0 1976 fM- DEC! 3 0 1976 $1 Billion Suit Kbd &t!C. Against CE, Monsanto BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The chemical Is used to (AP)---A SI billion pollution make electrical tran suit hat been brought sformers. The EPA says it agtlntt the General has been found to cause Electric Co. and the cancer In laboratory mice. Muninnto Corp. by a group of 2) people who depend on the Coosa River for the livelihood and recreation. The suit, filed Wednesday In federal court, charges that pollution from a The EPA also said test showed heavy con centration of PCBs, often more than the five part* per million limit aet by the Food and Drug Adminis tration, in fish taken from General Electric plant near Rome Ga., into the Cooia River hat ruined their the Coosa as far south as Weiss Lake. builnetiei. Georgia officials banned The plaintiffs said they commercial fishing on the filed the suit in the interest Coosa, but Alabama of of more than 3,000 residents ficials did not. of northeast Alabama who Monsanto waa namtd In depend on Weiss Lake--n the suit because it the Alabama-Gcorgla manufactures the chemical border--for their lived* used by the GE plant. hood, either directly or in directly. A Georgia group has filed The damages sought may a $500 million suit against GE and another group has be the largest on record in an Alabama court. filed a $500,000 suit In connection with the PC8 Last September, the U.S. solution. Environmental Protection After that suit was filed, Agency warned people GE concreted the area In living and working along which the PCBs were being the Coosa that the GE plant dumped. Officials said that near Rome was dis halted the runoff of the charging PCBi--polych chemical into the river, and lorinated biphenyls--into that all use of PCBs would jthe river. be ended by next summer, HUN13VILLE, ala. Ht'VS DAILY ICi.Ujy QEC 3 o 1976 Tlffi MOHUE RWHSTH ' MOBILE. ALA, D. 44.40S yn. 86.948 DEC 3 0 1976 Coosa River group sues GE, Monsanto BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A group of 21 people who depend on the Coosa River lor their livelihood and sport filed a $1 billion pollution suit against General Electric Co. and Mon santo Corp. Wednesday. The federal court action charge* that pollution from a GE plant near Rome, Ga , into the Coosa nas ruined their businesses. , The plaintiffs said they filed on behalf of more than 3.000 northeast Alabama people who look to Weiss Lake on the Coosa, on the AlabamaGeorgia line, directly or indirectly lor their livelihood. The amount could be the largest damages ever sought in an Alabama court. The Environmental Protection Agency In September began warning people living and working along the Coosa that the GE plant near Rome was dumping polychlorinated biph enyls. or PCBs, into Uic river. The chemical Is used in the manufacture of electrical trans formers. The EPA said it has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice. The EPA said tests showed heavy concentrations of PCBs, often welt above the five parts per million limit set by the Food and Drug Ad ministration, In fish taken from the Coosa as far south as Weiss Lake. ^ Commercial fishing was banned cn 0 the Coosa in Georgia, but not in u* Alabama. <0 Monsanto was named in the suit because it manufactures the chemical used by the GE plant. A group in Georgia has a $500.09.1 (/> suit ponding against GK in connection Z with the PCB pollution. ^ After that suit was filed, GK * concreted the area In which the PCBs wore bring dumped. Official* said that stopped the nm.ilf of tie* chemical into Ihr river, and Ui.it ail use of PCBs would he ended by ties' summer.