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Federal Judge Grants Extension In Salina Cleanup

A federal judge has granted authorities in Salina and the federal government more time to agree on a financial settlement to cover the cost of cleaning up contaminated groundwater and soil.

The city of Salina, Salina Airport Authority, Salina School District and Kansas State University at Salina filed a federal lawsuit in 2010, seeking to recoup the cost of cleaning up the industrial solvent TCE, or trichloroethylene, left at the former Schilling Air Force base.

The government and local authorities are drafting a consent decree to resolve the case and agree on how much money Salina needs to clean up the pollution. No amounts have been disclosed.

The Salina groups reached a nonbinding proposed settlement with the federal government and Department of Defense in February. The court then gave the groups until November 27 to finalize that settlement but both sides asked for an extension. Tuesday, a Federal District Judge gave the groups until February 15 to agree to a final settlement.