Title
Resolution Regarding Response Efforts Relative to the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume
Body
Whereas, Gelman Sciences, Inc. d/b/a Pall Life Sciences ("Gelman" or "Pall Life Sciences") contaminated groundwater in and around Ann Arbor with 1,4-dioxane over a period of many years, which resulted in a plume of 1,4-dioxane contamination in the aquifers under the City of Ann Arbor and adjacent areas;
Whereas, The City stopped using the Northwest Supply well in 2001 due to 1,4-dioxane contamination being detected in the well water at low levels;
Whereas The City filed lawsuits against Gelman in state and federal courts (the "City cases"), but reached a settlement in late 2006 that included acceptance by the City of a $500,000 settlement from Gelman;
Whereas, The settlement in the City cases establishes a set of criteria under which Gelman will have the obligation to pay the City $4,000,000 due to an increase in 1,4-dioxane concentrations at the Northwest supply well;
Whereas, Due to the methodology used by Gelman for treatment of 1,4-dioxane, the City required Gelman to test the Huron River for Bromate as part of the settlement of the City cases;
Whereas, In a lawsuit brought by the State of Michigan against Gelman Sciences (the "State case"), the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality ("MDEQ") entered into a consent judgment with Gelman Sciences in 1992 that was amended in 1996, 1999, and 2011;
Whereas The MDEQ is responsible for oversight of the continuing risk mitigation and cleanup operation of the 1,4-dioxane plume;
Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency updated toxicology findings for 1,4-dioxane in 2010, but the MDEQ has yet to incorporate these data into a revised cleanup standard;
Whereas, The MDEQ has promised the City and Washtenaw County that the cleanup criterion for 1,4-dioxane would be lowered from 85 ppb to 7.2 ppb - a cleanup criterion more consistent with current science, which indicates that levels...
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