The Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with the Central Maine and Quebec Railway company for violating the Clean Water Act, following two derailments that resulted in oil spills.
The derailments occurred in the town of La Grange and in northern Somerset County, in 2022 and 2023.
They resulted in nearly 15,000 gallons of oil being spilled into nearby waterways, according to the EPA, which also said that the environmental and emergency response costs in both cases will be paid by the company.
Under the settlement, the company paid a penalty of $16,544, and will also be required to purchase emergency response equipment, including an off-road vehicle, for the fire department that responded to the Somerset County spill near Moosehead Lake.
The EPA said both derailments were caused by floodwaters eroding the railroad track beds.
