Posted Friday, June 29, 2012 --- 11:10 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A western Wisconsin utility has agreed to spend nearly $156 million to settle a federal clean air lawsuit.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed a lawsuit Thursday against La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative. The agency accused the utility of making modifications to its coal-fired power plants in Alma and Genoa without obtaining the proper permits or installing the best pollution control technology, resulting in large amounts of pollutants in the atmosphere.

EPA officials said in a statement released Friday morning the utility has agreed to a consent decree calling for it to invest about $150 million in pollution control technology, spend $5 million on projects to benefit the environment near the plants and pay a penalty of $950,000.

Dairyland's attorney didn't immediately return a message Friday.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.