The Department of Justice and EPA have reached a settlement with DuPont that is expected to reduce more than 13,000 tons of emissions annually from four sulfuric acid production plants in Louisiana, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

DuPont will spend at least $66 million on air pollution controls at the plants and pay a civil penalty of $4.125 million under the Clean Air Act settlement.

When fully implemented, the settlement with DuPont will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from the four plants by approximately 90 percent.

The government’s complaint (PDF), filed today with the consent decree (PDF), alleges that DuPont made modifications to its plants which increased emissions of sulfur dioxide without first obtaining pre-construction permits and installing required pollution control equipment.