▁in ▁the ▁California ▁electric ity ▁crisis ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁R eli ant ▁agreed ▁to ▁pay ▁a ▁$ 2 2 . 2 ▁million ▁penalty ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁a ▁$ 1 3 . 8 ▁million ▁credit ▁provided ▁in ▁a ▁previous ▁settlement ▁with ▁the ▁Federal ▁Energy ▁Reg ul atory ▁Commission . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁record ▁Research ers ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁Am her st ▁have ▁identified ▁R eli ant ▁Energy ▁as ▁the ▁ 3 6 th - larg est ▁corpor ate ▁producer ▁of ▁air ▁poll ution ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁with ▁roughly ▁ 3 4 ▁million ▁pounds ▁of ▁to xic ▁chemical s ▁released ▁into ▁the ▁air ▁every ▁year . ▁Major ▁poll ut ants ▁indicated ▁by ▁the ▁study ▁include ▁sul fur ic ▁and ▁hydro ch lor ic ▁acid ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁mang an ese , ▁chrom ium , ▁and ▁nick el ▁comp ounds . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁US ▁state ▁of ▁New ▁Jersey ▁su ed ▁R eli ant ▁Energy , ▁claim ing ▁that ▁em issions ▁from ▁a ▁Pennsylvania ▁coal - f ired ▁power ▁plant ▁hurt ▁the ▁state ' s ▁air ▁quality . ▁New ▁Jersey ▁claims ▁em issions ▁of ▁sm og ▁and ▁acid ▁rain ▁components ▁sul fur ▁dio x ide ▁and ▁nit ro gen ▁ox ides ▁from ▁R eli ant ' s ▁Port land ▁Gener ating ▁Station ▁in ▁North am pton ▁County , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁dr ift ▁into ▁its ▁territory . ▁The