Appleton Papers looking to force other companies to pay for larger share of Wisconsin's Fox River cleanup; total cost could exceed US$1B

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , October 4, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – Appleton Papers is looking to force other companies to pay for a larger share of the cleanup of the Fox River in northeastern Wisconsin, The Journal-Sentinel reported Oct. 2.

Additionally, Appleton doesn't expect to provide further funding for the project when work to remove polychlorinated biphenyls from sediments resumes next spring, a company spokeswoman said.

Appleton and NCR Corp. changed an agreement with the general contractor so that other parties also identified as polluters could pay directly to restart the cleanup of the river.

The cleanup came to a halt last summer when Appleton and NCR said others should start covering the costs.

The cleanup, which is slated for completion in 2017 and could cost more than US$1 billion, is the largest of its kind in the U.S., The Journal-Sentinel reported. It is aimed at eventually making it safer to eac fish from the river.

Appleton Papers spokeswoman Kathern Querard said Georgia-Pacific LLC should help finance the cost, calling this "an obvious choice" because GP accepted some responsibility when it signed an agreement in 2004 regarding the design of a cleanup plan; The Journal-Sentinel said GP could not be reached for comment.

The primary source of this article is The Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wis., on Oct. 2, 2011.

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