Hercules Cement has paid a US$218,750 fine for three years of air pollution and reporting violations at its Stockertown plant, the state Department of Environmental Protection.

"The emissions violations Hercules committed increased overall air pollution in the Lehigh Valley and that can have a detrimental impact on the health of residents throughout the region," said DEP Northeast Regional Director Michael Bedrin said in a prepared statement.

The fines cover 2006 through 2008 and are for multiple emissions violations and failure to monitor and maintain air quality data.

The fine breaks down to $28,910 for emission violations, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and opacity measurements; $76,680 for data availability problems; and $113,160 for late data reporting, DEP said. Opacity is a determination of how emissions restrict.