Lawsuit Alleges Rock Creek Pollution by Scrap Metal Facility

A lawsuit filed Dec. 11 by the Conservation Law Foundation alleges that a scrap metal facility in Rockville is discharging pollutants into Rock Creek. The suit in the federal district court in Baltimore against Sims Arg Inc. and related entities seeks preventive steps and penalties under the Clean Water Act.

The pollutants at issue include aluminum, chemical oxygen demand (COD), copper, iron, lead, total suspended solids (TSS), and zinc. The suit also alleges pollution of Redhouse Creek, a tributary of the Back River in Baltimore, by a Sims facility there. The Sims facility in Rockville is on Southlawn Lane near Lake Needwood.

CLF, based in Boston, has members in New England and other states, including Maryland. It is working on the suit with the Environmental Integrity Project in Washington, DC.

According to the 42-page complaint, CLF has members who are concerned with the health impacts of heavy metal pollution from direct contact with waters downstream from the facilities, health impacts on wildlife, and "odor, unnatural color, scum, foam, and diminished water clarity." Due to their concerns, CLF members avoid canoeing and kayaking on Rock Creek, CLF Press Secretary Michael Naughton told the Cruiser.

The case (No. 1:24-cv-03571), in which there are no further developments yet, has been assigned to Judge Matthew J. Maddox in Baltimore. Chelsea Kendall is the lead attorney for CLF; Marc Goldstein, Beveridge and Diamond, Boston, represents Sims.