(The Associated Press circulated the following article on February 3.)
RATHDRUM, Idaho — The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad is trying to get companies that built a leaky northern Idaho refueling depot to reimburse it $18 Million.
That’s after the railroad was forced by the state to shutter the Rathdrum depot for 74 days and make repairs to prevent fuel-tainted wastewater from leaking into an underground aquifer.
The aquifer supplies drinking water to 500-thousand people.
The legal fingerpointing is expanding.
The companies being sued, Illinois-based engineering firm Hanson-Wilson and Spokane general contractor, Lydig Construction, don’t think they’re at fault.
Hanson-Wilson and Lydig say in separate court cases that subcontractors who worked for them could be to blame.