Trial looms on AES ash dumped in Dominican Republic: Report

Santo Domingo. – A court in the state of Delaware hascleared two more witnesses for AES Corp.’s looming jury trial on a US$30.0million-plus claim that dumping of a subsidiary’s coal ash on Dominican Republicharbors led to the stillbirth or deaths of three children and catastrophicbirth defects in three others, Wilmington, Delaware outlet Law360.com reports Tuesday.

It reports that the case, in the works since late 2009 and the first of sevencases now pending, “will bring Delaware-chartered AES into the state’s courtfor trial under Dominican Republic law on intentional negligence and relatedclaims.”

The ash dumped at the bays of Manzanillo (northwest) andSamana (northeast) had already resulted in a more than US$6 million settlementbetween AES and the Dominican Govt., and the inducement of several officialsduring Hipolito Mejia’s Administration (2000-2004).

Mejia’s officials had said the ash -some of it toxic- wasto be used in road paving and in agriculture.