CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s efforts to secure funds from the company responsible for perchlorate entering Lake Mead has ended with a settlement of approximately $1 billion to support cleanup efforts in Nevada.
State cleanup activities since 1997 have reduced the perchlorate concentration in Lake Mead to levels below the detection limit. The new settlement amount of about $1 billion will enable the state to continue the remediation and eradication of perchlorate contamination at the soil source, along with ongoing groundwater treatment, all to ensure there is no contaminant migration to Lake Mead and on to the Colorado River.
“This is a monumental development for Nevada,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “The hard work of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to not only direct the very successful perchlorate removal project, but also to pursue this significant settlement, is a huge win for southern Nevada and the more than 30 million people that rely on the Colorado River as their source of drinking water. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous assistance we have received from Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and her staff, as well as the cooperation of the Department of Justice and US EPA Region 9.”
The settlement with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, parent company of Kerr-McGee Corporation, provides the financial resources needed for long term remediation at industrial sites in Henderson and at two sites near Pioche.
Instead of accepting an offer of approximately $25 million, NDEP pursued additional funds for cleanup, resulting in an initial $81 million bankruptcy settlement in 2010 to continue treating contamination, and further negotiated to receive about 22 percent of any future settlements with Anadarko.
The Anadarko settlement announced today for about $5 billion is the largest payment for cleanup of environmental contamination in U.S. history. Nevada’s portion of the settlement is the approximately $1 billion.
"This settlement is the culmination of years of hard work by many people and it means that Nevada will have the necessary financial resources to continue the perchlorate removal efforts vital to southern Nevada,” said Leo Drozdoff, Director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “To date more than 4,000 tons of perchlorate have been removed from both soil and groundwater. The state, through its Division of Environmental Protection, will continue these efforts and continue to pursue more aggressive strategies
wherever possible."
Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto added, "With this settlement, we mark an end to a long battle to ensure Nevada has sufficient financial support to continue the remediation and long- term protection of vital southern Nevada water resources. Our office was pleased to provide strategic legal support to this collaborative effort to protect Nevada's environment."
The exact dollar figures will be determined and calculated based on applicable tax laws.