FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Proposed Settlement Documents in Legal Proceedings Regarding Local 1,4-Dioxane Contamination Specific documents now available for public review
Washtenaw County, the Washtenaw County Health Department, the City of Ann Arbor, Scio Township and the Huron River Watershed Council were granted intervenor rights several years ago allowing them to participate in a legal process to develop a revised Consent Judgment that will govern the continued clean-up of the Gelman site. The Gelman site is currently contaminated with 1,4-Dioxane and there has been significant public interest in increasing the on-going clean-up efforts. Until now, the process of revising the Consent Judgment was subject to a Court Confidentiality Order dated March 23, 2017 which prohibited the parties from disclosing publicly any information about the negotiations. The parties have now reached a point in the legal process where certain information may be shared for public review and comment after Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Connors partially lifted the Confidentiality Order on Monday, August 31, 2020. That order allows for the following documents to be made public:
- Seven short videos providing summary explanations of the proposed settlement,
- A proposed 4th Amended Consent Judgment with Attachments,
- A proposed Order of Dismissal,
- Proposed Settlement Agreements,
- A summary and chart that identify and show key differences between the current 3rd Amended Consent Judgment and the proposed 4th Amended Consent Judgment, and
- A redlined comparison of the 4th Amended Consent Judgment against the existing 3rd Amended Consent Judgment
These documents are available via an online repository developed by the intervening parties. The repository is available at www.a2gov.org/gelmanproposedsettlementdocs or through links on the intervening parties’ websites.
At this time, all documents are proposed and have not yet been approved by Washtenaw County, the Washtenaw County Health Department, the City of Ann Arbor, Scio Township or the Huron River Watershed Council. Each of them will review these proposed documents over the next couple of months before making their decisions. Future public meetings and engagement will be scheduled and announced by the respective local governments.
For additional information, please contact:
Washtenaw County
City of Ann Arbor
Scio Township
Huron River Watershed Council