Clearwater Paper Company has agreed to pay a civil penalty and upgrade pollution control equipment at its Lewiston pulp and paper mill to address alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
The Lewiston Tribune reports that Clearwater Paper will pay $300,000 in fines plus interest to the federal government and spend $800,000 to address problems that led to the violation.
According to the agreement, which was filed in federal court Tuesday, the violation was documented after an Environmental Protection Agency inspection of the mill in 2009.
Clearwater Paper spokesman Matt Van Vleet says the company disagrees with the agency's reasoning for the fine but chose to pay it and to upgrade pollution controls rather than spend more money fighting the claims in court.