Chief Judge Christopher Sontchi of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Delaware ruled that as part of the Chapter 11 banruptcy plan, Exide Technologies can abandon its shuttered battery recycling plant in Vernon, leaving the massive cleanup of lead and toxic pollutants to California taxpayers.
The decision by Chief Judge Sontchi was made over the objections of California officials and community members.
The Trump administration, through the U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency, supported Exide’s plan.
Governor Gavin Newsom issued this statement about the ruling.
“I am outraged that the federal bankruptcy court let Exide and its creditors off the hook today and decided that lead exposure does not pose an imminent or immediate harm to the public," said Governor Newsom. "That is wrong, it ignores decades of scientific evidence, and it is a dangerous decision that we absolutely intend to appeal. If the court’s ruling stands, Exide will evade responsibility for poisoning the homes, playgrounds, and backyards that surround its Los Angeles facility. That is an unacceptable outcome, and California will continue fighting to hold Exide and its creditors accountable."
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