Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_98-cv-06264/USCOURTS-caed-1_98-cv-06264-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 42:6901 Environmental Cleanup Expenses

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STIPULATION AND ORDER DISMISSING CLAIMS WITHOUT PREJUDICE

1.

BILL LOCKYER, Attorney General

of the State of California

THEODORA BERGER, State Bar No. 050108

Assistant Attorney General

KEN ALEX, State Bar No. 111236

Supervising Deputy Attorney General

BRETT J. MORRIS, State Bar No. 158408

JANILL L. RICHARDS, State Bar No. 173817

Deputy Attorneys General

1515 Clay Street, 20 Floor th

Oakland, California 94612-1413

Telephone (510) 622-2100

Attorneys for Plaintiff Department of Toxic Substances Control

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES

CONTROL,

Plaintiff,

v.

WITCO CORPORATION, et al.,

Defendants.

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NO. CIV F-98-6264 OWW/TAG

STIPULATION AND ORDER

DISMISSING CLAIMS AGAINST

CHEMTURA CORP. AND THE

DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Honorable Oliver W. Wanger

As the Court is aware, this case has been pending since October 1998. The case involves

property contaminated by the drum reconditioning operations of San Joaquin Drum Company

("SJDC") in Bakersfield, California at and near 39330 Gilmore Avenue. As set forth in previous

status reports, plaintiff the Department of Toxic Substances Control ("DTSC") is concerned about

two parcels: the main site, 3930 Gilmore Avenue; and a parcel across the street from the main

site allegedly used by SJDC to store drums, 3213 Gibson Street (the "Cady Property").

DTSC brought this action against six defendants: Chemtura Corporation (then Witco

Corporation) ("Chemtura"), The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow"), Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

("Chevron"), Western Farm Services, Inc. ("Western Farm"), Helt Petroleum ("Helt") and

Case 1:98-cv-06264-OWW -TAG Document 207 Filed 08/30/06 Page 1 of 4
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STIPULATION AND ORDER DISMISSING CLAIMS WITHOUT PREJUDICE

2.

Clifford N. Pitts, the owner and operator of San Joaquin Drum Company and owner of the real

property at 3930 Gilmore Avenue. DTSC dismissed its claims against Helt, a defunct corporation

without assets, on September 3, 1999.

Since the filing of the complaint, Chemtura, Dow, Chevron and Western Farm have

worked cooperatively with DTSC to investigate and address the release and threatened release of

hazardous substances attributable to the operations of San Joaquin Drum Company and have

worked to resolve DTSC's claims without resort to litigation. For this reason, the Court has

granted the parties' repeated requests to stay the action. The parties have been successful in

settling many of DTSC's claims. DTSC's claims against Chevron and Western Farm have been

resolved by settlement. The Court entered consent decrees effectuating these settlements on

March 15, 2004, and August 30, 2005, respectively. On DTSC's request, the Clerk entered

Clifford N. Pitts's default on the Second Amended Complaint on February 26, 2004.

As reported in previous status reports, Chevron conducted certain investigative and clean

up work at the main SJDC site as required by the settlement and consent decree. Chevron's work

has substantially reduced the remaining work that must be done at the main site. In addition,

Western Farm has completed Phase I of its investigation at the Cady Property and is in the

process of finalizing its final Phase I report. Western Farm will then proceed to Phase II, which

involves further soil investigation at those Phase I locations where screening levels were

exceeded.

Only the claims against Chemtura and Dow remain pending. It is the intent of DTSC,

Chemtura and Dow to continue to work cooperatively to resolve DTSC's claims without resort to

further litigation. The parties believe that there is a strong likelihood that they will reach

settlement once the parties have access to the results of Western Farm's investigation of the Cady

Property without further need of the Court's time and resources. For this reason, DTSC requests

that the Court dismiss its claims against Chemtura and Dow without prejudice. If the parties are

successful in their negotiations, DTSC will file a new complaint against Chemtura and Dow only,

together with the appropriate settlement agreements and proposed consent decrees.

If the Court dismisses the claims against Chemtura and Dow without prejudice, and at the

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STIPULATION AND ORDER DISMISSING CLAIMS WITHOUT PREJUDICE

3.

same time enters a default judgment against Clifford N. Pitts pursuant to DTSC's request, filed

concurrently, all claims in this matter will be resolved, and this case may be closed.

For the foregoing reasons, DTSC requests that its claims against Chemtura and Dow be

dismissed without prejudice. Chemtura and Dow consent and agree to such dismissal.

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

Dated: August 24, 2006 BILL LOCKYER

Attorney General

THEODORA BERGER

Assistant Attorney General

KEN ALEX

Supervising Deputy Attorney General

BRETT J. MORRIS

JANILL L. RICHARDS

Deputy Attorneys General

By: /s/ Janill L. Richards

Janill L. Richards

Deputy Attorney General

Attorneys for Plaintiff DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC

SUBSTANCES CONTROL

Dated: August 24, 2006 PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW

PITTMAN, LLP

SARAH G. FLANAGAN

JACOB R. SORENSEN

50 Fremont Street

Post Office Box 7880

San Francisco, CA 94120-7880

By: /s/ Janill L. Richards for Sarah G. Flanagan

Sarah G. Flanagan

Attorneys for Defendant CHEMTURA CORPORATION

Dated: August 24, 2006 PAUL, HASTINGS, JANOFSKY

& WALKER LLP

JOHN P. PHILLIPS

55 Second Street, Twenty-Fourth Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105-3441

By: /s/ Janill L. Richards for John P. Phillips

 

John P. Phillips

Attorneys for Defendant THE DOW CHEMICAL

COMPANY

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STIPULATION AND ORDER DISMISSING CLAIMS WITHOUT PREJUDICE

4.

ORDER

Pursuant to the request of the Department of Toxic Substances Control ("DTSC"), and on

the stipulation of Chemtura Corporation ("Chemtura") and The Dow Chemical Company

("Dow"), IT IS ORDERED that the claims of DTSC in this action against Chemtura and against

Dow be dismissed without prejudice. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 30, 2006 /s/ Oliver W. Wanger 

emm0d6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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