Viburnum School to get Very Little of Doe Run Company $1.2 Million Fine

(Viburnum) It was thought the Viburnum School District would be receiving the 1.2 million dollars the Doe Run Company had been fined for emitting air pollution out of the company’s lead recycling facility in Bixby but apparently that is not the case.

The secondary smelting facility is less than five miles from the city of Viburnum.

However, Viburnum Superintendent Kent Sherrow says his financially struggling school district, which incidentally had it’s budget cut by about 25-percent earlier this year after Doe Run protested it’s taxes, will receive very little of that 1.2 million dollars fine money.

The Buick Resource Recycling facility in Bixby emitted hundreds of pounds of excess lead into the air and company officials failed to adequately conduct performance tests and communicate with regulators.

That’s according to an order company officials signed back on August 29th.

According to the 45-page order, the recycling plant in Bixby emits airborne lead, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and other pollutants.

However, the Doe Run Company claims their air emissions data shows during the last 37 months they have been within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards requirement for lead emissions.  The company says this standard measures emissions at the company’s property line.

The Doe Run Company also received a break from the State on paying the fine.

Doe Run will pay Iron County the 1.2 million in three 400-thousand dollar increments over the next three years.