A lawsuit alleges that General Motors has contaminated water near a Michigan testing facility since the 1980s and has attempted to cover it up. The lawsuit was filed Thursday on behalf of six Brighton Township residents who allege that the Milford Proving Grounds contaminated water with high levels of sodium and chloride. The lawsuit says the facility released thousands of tons of salt over the past 30 years.
The 4,000-acre (nearly 1620-hectare) vehicle testing site uses salt for maintenance, water treatment and other vehicle testing purposes. General Motors says the suit doesn't have merit and that salt deposits occur in the area naturally.
The Environmental Protection Agency says prolonged exposure to high amounts of sodium and chloride can damage the liver and kidney, as well as cause hypertension and high blood pressure.
