A federal judge in Washington held a hearing in the Colville Confederated Tribes' lawsuit against a Canadian mining company accused of polluting the Columbia River.

The tribes sued Teck Cominco for failing to comply with an Environmental Protection Agency order to clean up the river. The state joined the case as a plaintiff against the company.

Lawyers for the company say the case should be dismissed. They say the EPA has no jurisdiction over its operation since it is located 10 miles north of the U.S.-Canada border.

The tribes and the EPA say pollution from the company's smelter travels across the border into the river.

Get the Story:
Teck Cominco asks judge to dismiss lawsuit over cross-border pollution (AP 11/5)

Relevant Links:
Colville Confederated Tribes - http://www.colvilletribes.com
Teck Cominco - http://www.teckcominco.com

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Mining company not worried about tribal-state lawsuit (09/02)
State joins tribal lawsuit against mining company (9/1)
Company seeks to dismiss tribal Superfund lawsuit (8/27)
Colville Tribes sue Canadian company over pollution (07/22)