Ponca City files lawsuit against Continental Carbon

PONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) -- The city of Ponca City has filed a lawsuit against a Houston company for allegedly polluting the community with black dust.<br/><br/>The lawsuit filed in Kay County District Court

Tuesday, February 1st 2005, 6:18 am

By: News On 6

PONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) -- The city of Ponca City has filed a lawsuit against a Houston company for allegedly polluting the community with black dust.

The lawsuit filed in Kay County District Court seeks actual and punitive damages in excess of $10,000 against Continental Carbon.

City commissioners last week authorized the lawsuit, which also is filed on behalf of five Ponca City residents and a local auto business.

Ponca City's lead attorney Kenneth Jean says tests of 13 sites in the city showed positive for carbon black, which leaders believe is coming from the Continental Carbon plant south of the city.

Residents near the plant have complained for years about the dust, but there has been an increase in complaints from inside the city.

Continental Carbon makes carbon black, a tire component which is used mainly as a reinforcing agent in rubber products such as tires, tubes, conveyor belts and cables.

Officials have said they're surprised by the city's decision.