Union Carbide Escapes Further Liability for Railyard Pollution

Courtland Co. failed to bring more charges against Union Carbide Corp. for contaminating water from a West Virginia railyard after a federal appeals panel ruled the company didn’t prove harm to the general public or establish broader environmental interest.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Monday upheld a lower court’s two-part opinion, ruling the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia was within its discretion to dismiss some of Courtland’s claims against the chemical company.

The district court “was thorough and detailed, rational and patient, and we find no challenged factual finding ...