Baron & Budd: Record Proposition 65 Clean Water Settlements Reached with Shell Oil Co., Atlantic Richfield Co., ChevronTexaco Corp., and World Oil Corp. Settlements Result in $99 Million in Improvement Projects to Protect, Clean Up California Drinking Water Supplies
The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. today announced four historic multi-million-dollar settlements with Shell Oil Co., Atlantic Richfield Co., ChevronTexaco Corp., and World Oil Corp. to provide cleaner drinking water for all Californians. Attorneys with Baron & Budd, along with co-counsel from the Law Offices of Masry & Vititoe of Westlake Village, California; and Engstrom, Lipscomb & Lack of Los Angeles negotiated the multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of Communities for a Better Environment, a California non-profit environmental health and justice organization.
DALLAS, TX (PRWEB) September 24, 2004 -- The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. today announced four historic multi-million-dollar settlements with Shell Oil Co., Atlantic Richfield Co., ChevronTexaco Corp., and World Oil Corp. to provide cleaner drinking water for all Californians. Attorneys with Baron & Budd, along with co-counsel from the Law Offices of Masry & Vititoe of Westlake Village, California; and Engstrom, Lipscomb & Lack of Los Angeles negotiated the multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of Communities for a Better Environment, a California non-profit environmental health and justice organization.
The lawsuit – CBE, et al. v. Tosco Corp., et al., No. 300595 – alleges unfair competition, violations of the Fish and Game Code, and violations of Californias Proposition 65, which voters adopted in 1986 as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act.
These landmark settlements will protect and improve Californias drinking water supply for years to come," said Baron & Budd shareholder Scott Summy, who served as lead counsel for Communities for a Better Environment along with Baron & Budd shareholder Laura Baughman. We congratulate Communities for a Better Environment for their perseverance in working on this case for the past five years to help protect Californias most precious natural resource."
Under the agreements approved on September 22, 2004 by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard A. Kramer, these oil companies agreed to undertake leak detection, leak prevention, and/or groundwater remediation projects in order to protect Californias drinking water supply from gasoline and petroleum products. Judge Kramer characterized each of the four settlements as fabulous" and stated that each settlement clearly achieves the purposes of the applicable law."
The following are examples of leak detection and/or leak prevention projects in the agreements:
• ARCO has agreed to install a state-of-the-art probe security system at all of their California service stations located within 1,000 feet of an active municipal drinking water supply well.
• Atlantic Richfield Co. has agreed to spend $4 million on preventive measures at its Carson Refinery and California terminals to prevent and detect leaks.
• Shell and Chevron have agreed to upgrade the leak detection systems at all of their California service stations so that they are remotely monitored.
• Shell has agreed to install double-walled tanks and double-walled product lines at all stations that are within one-quarter of a mile of an active public drinking water well; and if not existing, install side-entry under-dispenser containment pans and fill containment sumps with sensors at both locations at a cost of approximately $45 million. Shell has also agreed to install double-bottoms at approximately 40 above ground storage tanks at its LA Refinery at an estimated cost of $500,000 to $1 million each.
• Chevron has agreed to spend $2 million on projects to upgrade its above ground storage tanks, including tank control, maintenance, upgrading and capital expenditures, at its El Segundo Refinery.
• World Oil has agreed to upgrade the leak detection systems at six of its California service stations so that they are remotely monitored.
The following are examples of remediation projects included in the agreements:
• ARCO has agreed to spend $1 million to recover and/or control contaminated groundwater and free product at its Carson Refinery.
• Shell has agreed to spend $700,000 on projects to remove free product and clean up contaminated groundwater at its California refineries and terminals.
In addition to these projects, Atlantic Richfield Co. has agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty pursuant to Proposition 65, and Shell will make a $150,000 payment to the California Attorney Generals Office for use on environmental projects of the Attorney Generals choosing.
These settlements demonstrate the importance of Proposition 65, the strong anti-toxic law passed by voter initiative. They show that there is an essential role for citizen enforcement of environmental law," said Communities for a Better Environment attorney Will Rostov.
For more information on this settlement, please contact Baron & Budd attorneys Scott Summy or Laura Baughman at 214-521-3605 or Communities for a Better Environment attorney Will Rostov at 415-307-2154. To access the signed orders, click here.
About Baron & Budd, P.C.
Since 1977, the law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C. has championed the rights of people and communities harmed by corporate misconduct. With over 70 attorneys and offices in Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Louisiana, and New York, Baron & Budd enjoys a national reputation as a leader of the plaintiffs bar. The firm represents individuals with mesothelioma and other diseases caused by asbestos; leukemia caused by benzene; injuries caused by other toxic substances and unsafe pharmaceuticals; water authorities seeking clean-up costs for drinking water contamination; securities investors defrauded by corporate wrongdoing; and consumers in class actions. For more information, call 1-800-222-2766 or visit www.baronandbudd.com. For more information on water contamination litigation, visit www.thewaterlawyers.com.
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