Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Catawba Riverkeeper has filed a Motion to Intervene in the latest case against the New-Indy papermill. We are seeking the court's approval to join the citizen suit which was filed on February 13th, 2023. The suit alleges that New- Indy’s waste disposal and storage practices violate federal pollution statutes, including the Clean Water Act. As an intervenor, our organization hopes to secure the cleanup of industrial waste stored on the banks of the Catawba River.

What does it mean to intervene in a lawsuit?

Under federal law, interested parties can request to join a lawsuit after it has been filed. Catawba Riverkeeper has filed to intervene to represent our mission, the interests of our members, and the well-being of the Catawba River. The plaintiffs’ legal team has welcomed the motion.

What is the lawsuit about?

There are currently several active cases against New-Indy, which are related to the smell. While we are sympathetic to nuisance and air quality concerns, Catawba Riverkeeper is focused on the mill’s current and future impacts to the Catawba River. The case we are joining (Chin et al v. New-Indy Catawba LLC, 0:23-cv-00602 (D.S.C. 2023)) alleges violations of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which governs the handling and disposal of solid waste.

Like the millions of tons of coal ash now being excavated from sites along the Catawba as a result of prior litigation, papermill waste is being stored in large unlined lagoons near the banks of the Catawba River. Our goal is to protect current and future users by requiring the removal of New-Indy’s waste from unlined storage near the river.

More information on the citizen suits can be found at newindyclassaction.com.