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BNSF Pays $1 Million Settlement for Alleged Pollution of Rivers by Associated Press KING5, March 3, 2017

SEATTLE -- BNSF Railway and seven environmental groups have settled a lawsuit saying that coal spilled from trains pollutes waterways in Washington State.

BNSF admits no wrongdoing in the settlement finalized Friday.

The plaintiffs had argued that coal spilled from open--topped train cars is polluting the Columbia River and other waterways in the Pacific Northwest.

BNSF will pay $1 million for environmental projects in Washington State to clean up areas in Bellingham, Puget Sound, the Columbia River and Spokane River. It will also conduct a study of the use of physical covers for coal and petroleum coke trains.

BNSF spokeswoman Courtney Wallace said the $1 million settlement is small compared with initial lawsuits that sought trillions of dollars. The original allegations were sweeping and unfounded, she said.