The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington won a ruling in its lawsuit against a Canadian company accused of polluting the Columbia River.

A federal judge said Teck Resources can't raise a “divisibility defense” to the lawsuit, The Spokesman Review reported. The ruling means Teck can be held responsible for any cleanup costs, the tribe said.

Teck operates a mine just across the border in British Columbia, Canada. The tribe says the operation has dumped millions of tons of waste into the Columbia River, which the tribe depends on for fishing and subsistence.

A trial is due to be held in September.

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Judge bars Teck ‘divisibility’ bid (The Spokesman Review 4/9)