Environmental Negligence
Companies Are Responsible for Keeping Your Environment Clean
Farming and ranching is an American tradition – and a big part of Texas history as well as our Texas legacy to future generations. To realize the sad disrespect and horrific harm that surface lands and waterways have suffered in the past 50+ years at the hands of greedy, corporate profiteers is astounding.
Literally millions of acres of once pristine farm and ranch land has been destroyed by irresponsible companies that callously dump and/or discharge hazardous and toxic materials into these wildlife areas. This type of activity involves the pollution of air, water, and land – and unless things are done proactively by many different people and groups, the harm will become permanent and unchangeable.
How? Often, toxins and other damaging materials are improperly stored or dumped migrate into streams, lakes, and other waterways, because it was cheaper and easier to store them in a negligent manner.
This negligent activity not only involves the destruction of land, it may result in disease and illness that impacts human beings and all types of animal and plant species. Routinely, this wrongful conduct includes the dumping of hazardous materials on farm and ranch lands by any number of corporate entities, including:
- coal companies
- oil companies
- waste disposal companies
- well servicing companies
- mining companies.
Air and water pollution are serious problems for people in urban areas, as well. Water pollution puts our water quality at risk and threatens to make it undrinkable in some communities.
WigRum has fought to keep our water safe for people in small communities and large cities. One example is the case of Beck v. H.B. Zachry Co, ONEOK Inc., et al., in which we have sued former operators and owners of a natural gas processing plant to force them to take responsibility for gigantic underground plumes of toxic material - their legacy of decades of careless oil and gas production. These toxic plumes have contaminated the water and soil and are expanding, threatening the water and land thousands of Texans depend on. This groundwater contamination poses a danger to the drinking water of Beeville, Texas.
Air pollution from coal plants and refineries is also a major source of concern. WigRum has fought to keep our air clean by challenging the air permit for the proposed Las Brisas Coal Plant in Nueces County, Texas. In this proceeding WRD has represented doctors and medical groups that are fighting the permit along with other concerned citizens and environmental organizations. After a two week administrative trial, a judicial panel has recommended that Las Brisas Energy Center “…failed to meet is burden of proof on a number of required issues” that the the “permits sought by LBEC may not issue at this time.”
Attempts to Regulate Provide for Legal Remedy -- If Claims Are Pursued
Both the Environmental Protection Agency of the federal government as well as the state agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, work to stop environmental harm from dumping hazardous materials. Additionally, the federal government has passed many different laws in a continuing attempt to thwart the destruction of the American Environment which provide for both civil and criminal redress against hazmat dumping. The legislation includes:
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
If your land or leasehold has been damaged by pipeline leaks, dumping, or destruction of the surface estate, you may be entitled to pursue damages for remediation and nuisance. These damages may be substantial. To know the full extend of damage may necessitate the evaluation by a number of scientific experts and professional consults.
At Wigington Rumley Dunn & Ritch, L.L.P., we seek to preserve our land for future generations. We stand ready to assist you.
If you or a loved one has been injured or harmed by the wrongful actions of another person, company, or governmental entity, then please feel free to call for a free initial consultation. Se habla espanol.
Knowledge, Persistence, Integrity: Wigington Rumley Dunn & Ritch, L.L.P
Email at legalinfo@Wigrum.com – Toll free at (866) 494-4786