Court Denies FirstEnergy’s Attempt to Evade Environmental Responsibilities

(COLUMBUS, OH) The U.S. Bankruptcy Court today ruled that FirstEnergy could not use its subsidiary’s bankruptcy filing to evade its environmental clean-up and remediation responsibilities. The subsidiary FirstEnergy Solutions filed for bankruptcy in order to reduce its debt, but it also tried to release its parent company, FirstEnergy, of all liabilities associated with cleaning up poisonous coal-ash pits and decommissioning radioactive reactors. Federal and state agencies in Ohio and Pennsylvania recently joined Environmental Defense Fund and its environmental and consumer allies to oppose these evasive efforts by FirstEnergy.

“FirstEnergy hoped to simply walk away from a steaming pile of expensive, hazardous waste. Thankfully, today’s decision makes clear that the company can’t avoid its environmental responsibilities.”

• Dick Munson, Director, Midwest Clean Energy