California has set a deadline for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to make a decision on whether to issue a final permit to Exide’s beleaguered Vernon lead smelter.
The Vernon plant has been operating on a temporary permit for decades but a new bill signed by California Governor Jerry Brown requires that the DTSC make its decision by December 31, 2015.
Exide Technologies took over operations at the plant in 2000 and applied for a full permit in 2006, but its application has had several problems because it has yet to adequately address the required cleanup.
The plant halted operations in March while it worked to upgrade pollution controls at the site and has remained inoperative since. The company has agreed to orders of abatement with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, designed to limit toxic air pollution from the site.
