Horizon pays environmental fine

   Horizon Lines said it will pay $1.5 million in penalties as part of an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department, under which the ocean cargo carrier will plead guilty to two counts of providing federal authorities with false vessel oil record-keeping entries on a containership in the U.S. West Coast-Hawaii service.
   In a press release issued last week, Horizon said “the charges stem from the improper use of an oily water separator and related inappropriate record keeping on the Horizon Enterprise, an American-flag containership that sails between Tacoma, Oakland and Honolulu.”
   In the agreement, which is subject to court approval, Horizon will pay a $1 million fine and donate an additional $500,000 to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation for environmental community service programs. The company also agreed to be placed on probation for three years and institute an environmental compliance plan.