US to pay Boeing $32.2M for pollution at Kansas plant

WICHITA, Kan. — The federal government has agreed to pay Boeing $32.25 million to settle a dispute over pollution at the company’s old aircraft plant in Wichita.

The proposed settlement comes in a joint consent decree filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Kansas over past and future costs for cleaning up soil and groundwater contamination at the facility. Payment is subjected to availability of funds.

The agreement culminates more than two years of negotiations and represents what the parties call a “pragmatic solution” to cut costs and risks of litigation.

Boeing contended in its lawsuit that the government controlled military aircraft production and waste handling through regulations, contractual requirements, military specifications and inspections.

The company said the cleanup costs are necessary to address a threat to human health or the environment.