Case 3:14-cv-01772-MO Document 33-26 Filed 04/10/15 Page 1 of 3
From: Lori Cora

To: Cora, Lori

Subject: Fw: CONFIDENTIAL -- DO NOT DISTRIBUTE -- Settlement Negotiations with Linnton Plywood Association

Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 2:51:23 PM

Attachments: Attachment 1 LPA response.pdf

Attachment 2 LPA response.pdf

LPAresponse.pdf

LCT communication

Lori Houck Cora | Assistant Regional Counsel

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | Region 10

P: (206) 553.1115 | F: (206) 553.1762 | cora.lori@epa.gov

This message and its attachments may contain confidential and privileged 

attorney-client communication and/or attorney work-product. If you are not 

the intended recipient, you are not authorized to read, copy, distribute or in 

any way disclose the contents of this email or its attachments. If you have 

received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete 

this email from your system.

 Forwarded by Lori Cora/R10/USEPA/US on 02/10/2015 02:50 PM

From: Lori Cora/R10/USEPA/US

To: jdw@jdw law.net, cunninghame@gorge.net, erin.madden@gmail.com, jweis@hk law.com, lisa.bluelake@grandronde.org,

 Katherine.pease@noaa.gov, kurt.burkholder@doj.state.or.us, rick.j.kepler@state.or.us, jeremy buck@fws.gov, barry.stein@sol.doi.gov,

 robert.a.taylor@noaa.gov, tzeilman@qwestoffice.net, 

Cc: Kristine Koch/R10/USEPA/US@EPA

Date: 02/11/2010 10:05 AM

Subject: CONFIDENTIAL DO NOT DISTRIBUTE Settlement Negotiations with Linnton Plywood Association

CONFIDENTIAL -- DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

Hello, Everyone. I am writing to provide an update on the settlement discussions EPA is having with the

 Linnton Plywood Association. In accordance with the confidentiality provisions of the MOU, please hold

 this information in confidence. 

LPA is a cooperative corporation, which means the workers were the shareholders but they also had to

 reinvest their earnings into the corporation to provide capital operating resources. As you know, the

 company closed its business and has been seeking to dissolve since 2001. It has a couple tenants on its

 property, but they claim that their expenses continue to exceed the rental income they receive. The

 veneer plant property is the last remaining asset they have. BP Products, the next door neighbor, was

 interested in purchasing the property which lead to LPA's request to EPA for a settlement. Recently, BP

 withdrew its purchase and sale agreement, but LPA is still interested in settling CERCLA liabilities so that

 it can market the property and distribute the proceeds of sale to its worker members. I am told LPA is

 discussing settling of its NRD claims with the Trustees too.

Because the company is dissolving and seeking to sell the property and has limited resources, EPA has

 decided that it will attempt to negotiate a settlement with the company so that some money may be

 recovered to put towards the harbor cleanup. The settlement will seek to recover what funds there may

 be after the liabilities/debts of the corporation are paid. EPA this week rejected LPA's first offer, and

 indicated we believed a significantly larger amount of money was available to settle our claims. 

Case 3:14-cv-01772-MO Document 33-26 Filed 04/10/15 Page 2 of 3
Our response letter and the attachments are enclosed. We would like to be kept apprised of the NRD

 settlement discussions as well. Please call me if you would like to discuss.

(See attached file: LPAresponse.pdf)(See attached file: Attachment 1 LPA response.pdf)(See

 attached file: Attachment 2 LPA response.pdf)

Lori Houck Cora

Assistant Regional Counsel

Office of Regional Counsel

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region 10, ORC-158

1200 Sixth Avenue

Seattle, WA 98101

(206) 553-1115

cora.lori@epa.gov

Case 3:14-cv-01772-MO Document 33-26 Filed 04/10/15 Page 3 of 3