VIDEO: Residents Finally Receiving Settlement Money From Kerr-McGee Suit

COLUMBUS, Miss.(WCBI)—After decades of legal battles, homeowners surrounding the former Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation are getting settlements.

During the plant’s years of operation, the toxic chemical Creosote seeped into the soil and threatened homes and business within a few miles.

The plant closed its doors in 2003, about the same time residents filed a class action suit against the owners.

Now, 15 years later, residents are seeing the first payments from the suit.

“Getting the plant closed down was crucial. I saw the plant as a source for all this disease and all this death,” said Maranatha Faith Center Pastor Steve Jamison.

Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation agreed pay more than five billion dollars to correct the spill of Creosote.

Jamison was working to expand his church on 14th Ave North, just around the corner from the plant.

He says just a few days of working in a ditch in the front of his church left a life-long impact.

“When I came out of the ditch, I had a blood pressure that was so high, I had to take two pills, four times a day, to control it. I learned that my kidneys dropped in function, to almost a third of their normal function. At that point, I realized whatever it was, was deadly and dangerous,” said Jamison.

Jamison says if the Creosote was impacting him that way, what about the people who lived in the shadow of the plant?

“In Memphis Town, people were dying from cancers in clusters. Whole homes being wiped out. Whole families just die with the same thing. People had uncontrollable kidney disease and other things that can be related to Creosote,” said Jamison.

According to Jamison, residents in the surrounding area received more than $340 million dollars in settlement money.

“We got about $70 million to clean the site up, and my church got a pretty nice settlement as well,” said Jamison.

Jamison says the consequences from 17-year fight were grave.

“All in all it was worth it. If I had to do it again, I would do it again. In the process I had a heart attack and my kidney failed. I’m yet grateful that God allowed me to stay here to see it done,” said Jamison.

Jamison also says the payments are coming in stages. Several residents received payments, but there are still a few waiting.