Lodi contamination settlement near end; cleanup moves ahead (CA)
From two Friday's ago, the Lodi News-Sentinel (CA) ran this story:
As litigation from Lodi's groundwater contamination case comes to a close, cleanup has already begun.Read the interview here.
News-Sentinel reporter Matt Brown recently discussed the status of the remaining litigation and the cleanup with City Attorney Stephen Schwabauer.
In 1989, officials discovered that the groundwater in some areas of Downtown was contaminated with the chemicals PCE and TCE, which are used as industrial solvents and in dry cleaning. The chemicals spread out to five different plumes in the city's groundwater.
In the mid-1990s, the city's outside attorney, Michael Donovan, crafted a plan to sue insurance companies of local businesses, including the News-Sentinel, for their role in the contamination. After a number of negative court rulings, the City Council in 2004 fired Donovan and City Attorney Randy Hays.
The city has since sued Donovan for fraud and malpractice, and Donovan has countersued, claiming the city owes him millions in legal fees.
The city has sought to settle out of court with the parties responsible for the contamination.