AES Corporation illegally dumped 100 million pounds of toxic coal as on a pristine beach in the Dominican Republic. After acute health problems came horrible birth defects, Complaint alleges.

Eastern District of Virginia Case

In 2006, the government of the Dominican Republic brought a civil action against AES and its partners in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit sought to recover damages sustained as a result of the unlawful dumping of 160 million pounds of toxic coal ash waste on the beaches of the Dominican Republic in violation of Dominican Republic law and the Basel Convention.

AES defended the action, again claiming that the material was safe and did not harm either the environment or the residents living in communities near the dump sites.

While most of the documents in this case have been sealed, AES is believed to have paid $6 million to settle the case with the government of the Dominican Republic.

But whatever AES paid to settle the case did not include any compensation to the residents of the towns of Manzanillo or Samana. The Court had ruled that separate actions would have to be brought by the citizens in order for their claims to be heard.