Requires regular water quality testing in Jones Falls, investigation into source of discharges, and corrective actions including possible demolition of facility
BALTIMORE (Sept. 25, 2024) – Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain and Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced a $1.1 million settlement with the Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company for unauthorized discharges of pollution from the company’s Baltimore facility.
The consent decree, filed today in Baltimore City Circuit Court, also lists steps the company must take to ensure that discharges into the Jones Falls are halted. In April, Bluewater Baltimore and its attorneys with the Chesapeake Legal Alliance announced a settlement in a separate federal lawsuit against the company.
“We appreciate the fact that this company has been a part of Baltimore’s fabric for generations, but pollution from the now-closed facility harms the ecosystem in one of the city’s major waterways,” said Secretary McIlwain. “We are grateful for the partnership with Blue Water Baltimore and Chesapeake Legal Alliance to advance the goal of clean water for everyone.”
“Our rivers and waterways must be protected. Our office will not allow companies to put our delicate environment in jeopardy,” said Attorney General Brown. “These terms will help keep our waterways clean and monitor the Jones Falls so it is not contaminated with harmful pollutants.”
The state began an investigation into the facility’s operations after receiving a report from Blue Water Baltimore in September 2021 of a fish kill and water quality issues in the Jones Falls in the vicinity of the vinegar plant. In April 2023, a complaint was filed in Circuit Court on behalf of the Maryland Department of the Environment by the Office of the Attorney General to stop unauthorized discharges.
On two occasions, the department conducted dye testing to confirm that leaked or spilled liquids from the facility could reach the Jones Falls through interior floor drains. In January 2024, Fleischmann’s closed the facility and removed all of the stored vinegar and production equipment and materials from the facility.
Requirements of the consent decree include:
The original complaint listed Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company and its parent company, Kerry, as defendants. An amended complaint filed today also named another parent company, Kerry Holding Co., as a defendant.
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BALTIMORE (Sept. 25, 2024) – Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain and Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced a $1.1 million settlement with the Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company for unauthorized discharges of pollution from the company’s Baltimore facility.
The consent decree, filed today in Baltimore City Circuit Court, also lists steps the company must take to ensure that discharges into the Jones Falls are halted. In April, Bluewater Baltimore and its attorneys with the Chesapeake Legal Alliance announced a settlement in a separate federal lawsuit against the company.
“We appreciate the fact that this company has been a part of Baltimore’s fabric for generations, but pollution from the now-closed facility harms the ecosystem in one of the city’s major waterways,” said Secretary McIlwain. “We are grateful for the partnership with Blue Water Baltimore and Chesapeake Legal Alliance to advance the goal of clean water for everyone.”
“Our rivers and waterways must be protected. Our office will not allow companies to put our delicate environment in jeopardy,” said Attorney General Brown. “These terms will help keep our waterways clean and monitor the Jones Falls so it is not contaminated with harmful pollutants.”
The state began an investigation into the facility’s operations after receiving a report from Blue Water Baltimore in September 2021 of a fish kill and water quality issues in the Jones Falls in the vicinity of the vinegar plant. In April 2023, a complaint was filed in Circuit Court on behalf of the Maryland Department of the Environment by the Office of the Attorney General to stop unauthorized discharges.
On two occasions, the department conducted dye testing to confirm that leaked or spilled liquids from the facility could reach the Jones Falls through interior floor drains. In January 2024, Fleischmann’s closed the facility and removed all of the stored vinegar and production equipment and materials from the facility.
Requirements of the consent decree include:
- Weekly testing at points along the Jones Falls near the facility and additional penalties if that testing shows any discharges of pollution.
- An interim investigation by defendants into possible sources of discharges and remediation as feasible to include the potential demolition of the facility.
- Further investigation by the company to eliminate any sources of pollution not previously identified.
The original complaint listed Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company and its parent company, Kerry, as defendants. An amended complaint filed today also named another parent company, Kerry Holding Co., as a defendant.
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