Judge orders Port of Los Angeles to address toxic water pollution

A federal judge has ordered the Port of Los Angeles to improve its water treatment operations and address the toxic contamination of the city’s harbor. The port must also eliminate fecal bacteria from groundwater, redirect polluted water to a reclamation plant for treatment and reuse, and pay over $1 million to fund restoration projects in the Los Angeles Harbor and San Pedro Bay area. Moreover, it must pay a $130,000 civil penalty to the US Treasury. The judge’s decision comes after a long legal battle against the discharge of toxic pollutants into San Pedro Bay. Lewis DeHope, counsel for Environment California and a staff attorney for the National Environmental Law Center, said the settlement promises to end the Port of Los Angeles’ long-standing violations of environmental laws.