The Ohio EPA announced on August 5 that the Ford Motor Co. has agreed to pay a $1.4 million penalty for failing to upgrade pollution control equipment at its Cleveland Casting Plant. The company will continue decommissioning some of the facility's pollution-generating equipment in preparation for the plant's planned closure in 2010, according to an EPA statement.

"While the settlement allows Ford to gradually wrap up operations without the enhanced pollution control equipment, overall emissions from the facility have decreased in recent years and will continue to drop as the company shuts down additional furnaces, core lines and other casting equipment," said Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski.

The settlement dedicates $280,000 of the civil penalty to Ohio EPA's Clean Diesel School Bus Program. The balance of the penalty will help support the Ohio Environmental Education Fund and state and local air pollution control programs.