RI, 3 Major Gas Companies Settle For $15 Million In Pollution Lawsuit

PROVIDENCE, RI — The State of Rhode Island will get $15 million through a settlement with three major oil and gas companies that the Attorney General's Office said polluted the state's soil and groundwater with a gasoline additive.

The Attorney General's Office filed the suit in September 2016, accusing Shell, Sunoco, and CITGO – along with several other refiners – of polluting of Rhode Island’s soil and groundwater with the gasoline additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE).

According to the complaint, the gas companies knowingly promoted marketed, distributed, supplied and sold gasoline and other petroleum products containing MTBE, or at the least should have reasonably known.

"MBTE contamination of public water supplies poses a significant public health and safety risk, one which oil and gas companies knew about well before the public did," Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. "The work to remediate contaminated water supplies continues, and the funds recovered to date, including today, will be exclusively dedicated to doing that work. In the meantime, this office remains strongly committed to ensuring that the remaining oil and gas defendants are held responsible for the damage they have caused to the people of Rhode Island and the environment."

Remaining major gas refinery defendants in Rhode Island’s lawsuit include British Petroleum (BP), Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Valero, and Irving. Litigation against these companies remains ongoing.