Los Angeles Waterkeeper v. Teknor Apex Company

Filing 15

CONSENT DECREE by Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald that Teknor will pay the sum of $25,000.00 to the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment for the sole purpose of providing grants to environmentally beneficial projects in the San Gabri el River Watershed relating to water quality improvements. Teknor shall reimburseWaterkeeper in the amount of $67,000 to help defray Waterkeeper's reasonable investigation, expert, and attorneys fees and costs, and all other reasonable cost s incurred as a result of investigating the activities at the Facility related to this Consent Decree, bringing these matters to Teknor's attention, and negotiating a resolution of this action in the public interest. Teknor agrees to pay Waterke eper the amount of $10,000 for its costs to be incurredin overseeing the implementation of this Consent Decree. (SEE ATTACHMENT OF THIS ORDER FOR FURTHER DETAILS). The settling Parties hereto enter into this Consent Decree, Order and Final Judgment and submit it to the Court for its approval and entry as a final judgment. (MD JS-6. Case Terminated.) (jp)

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JS-6 1 2 12/5/2017 3 C W 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 12 LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER, a California non-profit corporation, 13 Plaintiff, Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS CONSENT DECREE 14 15 16 17 18 vs. TEKNOR APEX COMPANY, a corporation, (Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.) Defendant. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER Arthur Pugsley (State Bar No. 252200) Melissa Kelly (State Bar No. 300817) E-mail: arthur@lawaterkeeper.org melissa@lawaterkeeper.org 120 Broadway, Suite 105 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Tel: (310) 394-6162 Fax: (310) 394-6178 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 1 1 2 CONSENT DECREE The following Consent Decree is entered into by and between Plaintiff Los 3 4 Angeles Waterkeeper (“Plaintiff” or “Waterkeeper”) and Defendant Teknor Apex 5 Company (“Defendant” or “Teknor”). The entities entering into this Consent Decree 6 are each an individual “Settling Party” and collectively the “Settling Parties.” 7 8 WHEREAS, Waterkeeper is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation organized under the laws of the State of California, with its main office in Santa 9 10 11 Monica, California; WHEREAS, Waterkeeper is dedicated to the preservation, protection, and 12 defense of the inland and coastal surface and ground waters of Los Angeles County 13 from all sources of pollution and degradation; 14 WHEREAS, Teknor is the owner and operator of a plastics manufacturing 15 16 17 18 19 20 facility located at 420 6th Avenue in City of Industry, California, hereinafter referred to by the Settling Parties as the “Facility;” WHEREAS, Waterkeeper represents it has approximately 3,000 members who live and/or recreate in and around the Los Angeles area waterbodies receiving discharges from the Facility, including the San Gabriel River, San Gabriel River 21 22 23 Estuary, San Pedro Bay, and the Pacific Ocean; WHEREAS, storm water discharges associated with industrial activity at the 24 Facility are regulated pursuant to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 25 System (“NPDES”) General Permit No. CAS000001 [State Water Resources Control 26 27 Board], Water Quality Order No. 92-12-DWQ (as amended by Water Quality Order 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 1 1 2 97-03-DWQ and as subsequently amended by Water Quality Order No. 2014-0057DWQ) (hereinafter the “Permit”), issued pursuant to Section 402 of the Federal Water 3 4 5 Pollution Control Act (“Clean Water Act” or “the Act”), 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; WHEREAS, the Permit includes the following requirements for all permittees, 6 including Teknor: 1) develop and implement a storm water pollution prevention plan 7 (“SWPPP”); 2) control pollutant discharges using best available technology 8 economically achievable (“BAT”) and best conventional pollutant control technology 9 10 (“BCT”) to prevent or reduce pollutants; 3) implement BAT and BCT through the 11 development and application of Best Management Practices (“BMPs”) to be included 12 and updated in the SWPPP; and 4) when necessary, implement additional BMPs to 13 prevent or reduce any pollutants that are causing or contributing to any violation of 14 Permit requirements; 15 16 WHEREAS, on December 20, 2016, Waterkeeper served Teknor, the 17 Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), the 18 Executive Director of the State Water Resources Control Board (“State Board”), the 19 Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board 20 (“Regional Board”), the U.S. Attorney General, and the Regional Administrator of the 21 22 EPA (Region 9) with a notice of intent to file suit under Sections 505(a)(1) and (f) of 23 the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1365(b)(1)(A) (“60-Day Notice letter”), alleging 24 violations of the Act and the Permit at the Facility; 25 WHEREAS, on March 24, 2017, Waterkeeper served Teknor, the 26 27 Administrator of the EPA, the Executive Director of the State Board, the Executive 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 2 1 2 Officer of the Regional Board, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Regional Administrator of the EPA (Region 9) with a subsequent 60-Day Notice letter under 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sections 505(a)(1) and (f) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1365(b)(1)(A), alleging additional violations of the Act and the Permit at the Facility; WHEREAS, the Parties engaged in settlement negotiations and reached an agreement in the form of this Consent Decree to be filed on the same date as the Complaint in this matter; 9 10 WHEREAS, on September 13, 2017, Waterkeeper filed a complaint against 11 Teknor in the United States District Court, Central District Court of California, 12 entitled Los Angeles Waterkeeper v. Teknor Apex Company (Case No. 2:17-cv-06724- 13 MWF-SS); alleging violations of Section 301(a) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 14 1311(a), and violations of the Permit at the Facility (“Complaint”) based on the two 15 16 17 60-Day Notice letters; WHEREAS, Waterkeeper contends in its 60-Day Notice letters and Complaint 18 that, among other things, Teknor has repeatedly discharged polluted storm water in 19 violation of the Permit and the Clean Water Act; 20 WHEREAS, Teknor denies the allegations set forth in the 60-Day Notice 21 22 23 letters and Complaint; WHEREAS, the Settling Parties, through their authorized representatives and 24 without either adjudication of Waterkeeper’s claims or any admission by Teknor of 25 any alleged violation or other wrongdoing, believe it is in their mutual interest and 26 27 choose to resolve in full Waterkeeper’s allegations in the 60-Day Notice letters and 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 3 1 2 Complaint through settlement and avoid the cost and uncertainties of further litigation; 3 4 WHEREAS, all actions taken by Defendant pursuant to this Consent Decree 5 shall be made in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and local rules 6 and regulations; 7 8 NOW THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED BETWEEN THE SETTLING PARTIES, AND ORDERED AND DECREED BY THE COURT, 9 10 11 12 13 14 AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action pursuant to Section 505(a)(l)(A) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1365(a)(1)(A); 2. Venue is appropriate in the Central District of California pursuant to Section 505(c)(l) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1365(c)(1), because the Facility 15 16 17 18 19 20 at which the alleged violations took place is located within this District; 3. The Complaint states claims upon which relief may be granted pursuant to Section 505(a)(l) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1365(a)(1); 4. Plaintiff has standing to bring this action; 5. The Court shall retain jurisdiction over this matter for purposes of 21 22 enforcing the terms of this Consent Decree for the life of the Consent Decree, or as 23 long thereafter as is necessary for the Court to resolve any motion to enforce this 24 Consent Decree. 25 I. OBJECTIVES 6. It is the express purpose of the Settling Parties entering into this Consent 26 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 4 1 2 Decree to further the objectives set forth in the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251, et seq., and to resolve those issues alleged by Waterkeeper in its Complaint. 3 4 5 II. COMMITMENTS OF TEKNOR 7. In order to reduce or prevent pollutants associated with industrial activity 6 from discharging via storm water to the waters of the United States, Teknor shall 7 implement appropriate structural and non-structural BMPs, as required by the Permit, 8 as described more fully below. 9 10 8. Maintenance of Implemented Storm Water Controls. Teknor agrees 11 that the Facility shall maintain in good working order all storm water collection and 12 management systems currently installed or to be installed pursuant to this Consent 13 Decree, including but not limited to, existing housekeeping measures. 14 9. New Treatment System. By December 20, 2017, Teknor shall install a 15 16 treatment system that is sized in accordance with the requirements for flow-based 17 BMPs set forth in the General Permit and would achieve compliance with the action 18 levels provided its Permit. This system would treat all industrial storm water 19 discharges from the Facility. Within seven (7) days of installation of the treatment 20 system, Teknor shall send Waterkeeper digital photos confirming the installation. 21 22 10. Improvements to Housekeeping Practices. To reduce the potential for 23 oil and grease to be contained in the Facility’s storm water dischargers, by December 24 20, 2017, Teknor shall install a railcar drip pan to collect spillage from the unloading 25 process. 26 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 5 1 11. 2 Storm Water Sampling and Monitoring a. Teknor shall analyze all storm water samples collected at the Facility 3 for the following parameters: pH, total suspended solids, oil & grease, 4 zinc, copper, and lead. 5 b. Teknor shall use a state certified laboratory to conduct all analysis 6 7 pursuant to this Consent Decree. Teknor shall select analytical test 8 methods from the list provided in Table 2 of the Permit. 9 10 12. Analysis of Subsurface Drainage. By a date six months after this 11 Consent Decree is entered by the Court, Teknor shall engage a qualified professional 12 to analyze and verify the directions of all subsurface storm water conveyances at the 13 Facility. This analysis would include the drain in the covered oil area near the 14 railroad line as well as the roof downspouts near the railroad line. 15 16 13. Updates to SWPPP Map. Within sixty (60) days of the analysis of 17 subsurface drainage conducted pursuant to Paragraph 12, Teknor shall update the site 18 maps included in its SWPPP for the Facility to depict changes made to the Facility’s 19 storm water management practices, including those described in Paragraph 9 as well 20 as any necessary adjustments to the map pursuant to the subsurface drainage analysis. 21 22 14. Amendment of SWPPP. Within sixty (60) days of the updates to the 23 SWPPP map conducted pursuant to Paragraph 13, Teknor shall amend the Facility’s 24 SWPPP to incorporate all changes, improvements, and best management practices set 25 forth in or resulting from this Consent Decree. Teknor shall ensure that all maps, 26 27 tables, and text comply with the requirements of the Permit. Teknor shall revise the 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 6 1 2 SWPPP to describe all structural and non-structural BMPs, details of the measures to be installed, and discuss why such BMPs should be effective in addressing the 3 4 5 6 7 8 pollutant sources at the Facility. A copy of the amended SWPPP shall be provided to Waterkeeper within thirty (30) days of completion. 15. Reports. During the term of this Consent Decree, Teknor shall provide Waterkeeper with a copy of all documents submitted to the Regional Board or the State Board concerning the Facility’s storm water discharges, including but not 9 10 limited to all documents and reports submitted to the Regional Board and/or State 11 Board as required by the Permit, with such documents and reports to be mailed to 12 Waterkeeper contemporaneously with submission to such agency. Alternatively, to 13 the extent that Teknor submits such documents to the Regional Board or State Board 14 via the State Board’s Storm Water Multiple Application and Report Tracking System 15 16 (“SMARTS”), Teknor may satisfy this requirement by providing notice to 17 Waterkeeper via e-mail that said results have been uploaded to SMARTS within seven 18 (7) days of uploading said results. Within fourteen (14) days of a written request (via 19 e-mail or regular mail) by Waterkeeper, Teknor also shall provide Waterkeeper a copy 20 of these documents referenced in this Consent Decree from the year prior to the 21 22 request, including but not limited to logs, photographs, or analyses. 23 III. ANNUAL MEET AND CONFER 24 16. Once per Reporting Year, each party may elect to meet and confer 25 regarding compliance with any provision of this Consent Decree or the Permit. Upon 26 27 written notice to the other party briefly outlining the reasons, the parties and/or their 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 7 1 2 representative including their designated environmental consultant(s) shall meet and confer within 30 days thereafter unless such time period is extended by mutual 3 4 agreement. By mutual agreement, a conference call may substitute for a face to face 5 meeting. The agenda for such a meeting shall include any item raising a good faith 6 issue of compliance with this Consent Decree or the Permit, and may include any 7 other issue agreed to by the parties. 8 17. The parties agree not to invoke the provisions in paragraph 16 without a 9 10 good faith basis. By way of an example, and without excluding or limiting any other 11 good faith basis, the meet and confer provisions could be invoked if sampling results 12 indicate an exceedance of any applicable reporting standard or numeric limitation, and 13 it appears an adjustment to the treatment medium or other BMP(s) is appropriate. 14 18. The parties agree to work in good faith to resolve any concerns raised by 15 16 either party in the meet and confer process in a timely manner, provided that good 17 faith disagreement on potential remedial actions, if any, shall not constitute a violation 18 of this Consent Decree. 19 20 19. Any failure by a party to invoke its meet and confer rights in a Reporting Year shall be deemed to be an admission by that party for that reporting year that no 21 22 such meet and confer process is necessary. Such admission shall apply only to the 23 meet and confer process for that Reporting Year and shall not relieve any party of any 24 other duties under this Consent Decree or the Permit. 25 IV. MITIGATION, FEES AND COSTS, AND OVERSIGHT 20. Mitigation Payment. In recognition of the good faith efforts by Teknor 26 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 8 1 2 to comply with all aspects of the Permit and the Clean Water Act at the Facility, and in lieu of payment by Teknor of any penalties, which may have been assessed in this 3 4 action if it had been adjudicated adverse to Teknor, the Parties agree that Teknor will 5 pay the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) to the Rose Foundation for 6 Communities and the Environment (“Rose Foundation”) for the sole purpose of 7 providing grants to environmentally beneficial projects in the San Gabriel River 8 Watershed relating to water quality improvements. Payment shall be provided to the 9 10 Rose Foundation as follows: Rose Foundation, 1970 Broadway, Suite #600, Oakland, 11 CA 94612, Attn: Tim Little. Payment shall be made by Teknor to the Rose 12 Foundation within fifteen (15) calendar days of the Effective Date. Teknor shall copy 13 Waterkeeper with any correspondence and a copy of the check sent to the Rose 14 Foundation. The Rose Foundation shall provide notice to the Parties within thirty (30) 15 16 17 18 19 20 days of when the funds are disbursed by the Rose Foundation, setting forth the recipient and purpose of the funds. 21. Reimbursement of Fees and Costs. Teknor shall reimburse Waterkeeper in the amount of Sixty-seven Thousand dollars ($67,000) to help defray Waterkeeper’s reasonable investigation, expert, and attorneys’ fees and costs, and all 21 22 other reasonable costs incurred as a result of investigating the activities at the Facility 23 related to this Consent Decree, bringing these matters to Teknor’s attention, and 24 negotiating a resolution of this action in the public interest. Teknor shall tender said 25 payment, payable to “Los Angeles Waterkeeper”, within fifteen (15) days of the 26 27 Effective Date. 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 9 1 2 22. Compliance Monitoring Funds. As reimbursement for Waterkeeper’s future fees and costs that will be incurred in order for Waterkeeper to monitor 3 4 Teknor’s compliance with this Consent Decree and to effectively meet and confer and 5 evaluate storm water monitoring results for the Facility, Teknor agrees to pay 6 Waterkeeper the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for its costs to be incurred 7 in overseeing the implementation of this Consent Decree. Teknor shall make payment 8 to Waterkeeper within forty-five (45) calendar days of the Effective Date. Payment 9 10 11 12 13 by Teknor to Waterkeeper shall be made in the form of a single check payable to “Los Angeles Waterkeeper.” V. COMMITMENTS OF WATERKEEPER 23. Submission of Consent Decree to DOJ. Within three (3) business days 14 15 of receiving all of the Parties’ signatures to this Consent Decree, Waterkeeper shall 16 submit this Consent Decree to the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and EPA for 17 agency review consistent with 40 C.F.R. §135.5. The agency review period expires 18 forty-five (45) calendar days after receipt by the DOJ, evidenced by correspondence 19 from DOJ establishing the review period. In the event DOJ comments negatively on 20 21 22 the provisions of this Consent Decree, the Parties agree to meet and confer to attempt to resolve the issues raised by DOJ. 23 VI. WAIVER, RELEASES AND COVENANTS NOT TO SUE 24 24. In consideration of the above, and except as otherwise provided by this 25 Consent Decree, the Parties on behalf of themselves and their respective parents, 26 27 affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, successors, assigns, current and former employees, 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 10 1 2 attorneys, officers, directors and agents hereby forever and fully release each other and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, insurers, successors, 3 4 assigns, and current and former employees, attorneys, officers, directors and agents 5 from any and all claims and demands of any kind, nature, or description whatsoever, 6 and from any and all liabilities, damages, injuries, actions or causes of action, either at 7 law or in equity, which the Parties have against each other arising from Waterkeeper’s 8 allegations and claims as set forth in the 60-Day Notice Letter and Complaint for 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 storm water pollution discharges at the Facility up to and including the Termination Date of this Consent Decree. 25. The Parties acknowledge that they are familiar with section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which provides: A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor. The Parties hereby waive and relinquish any rights or benefits they may have under 18 19 California Civil Code section 1542 with respect to any other claims against each other 20 arising from, or related to, the allegations and claims as set forth in the 60-Day Notice 21 Letter and Complaint for storm water pollution discharges at the Facility up to and 22 including the Termination Date of this Consent Decree. 23 24 26. No Admission. The Parties enter into this Consent Decree for the 25 purpose of avoiding prolonged and costly litigation. Nothing in this Consent Decree 26 shall be construed as, and Teknor expressly does not intend to imply, any admission 27 as to any fact, finding, issue of law, or violation of law, nor shall compliance with this 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 11 1 2 Consent Decree constitute or be construed as an admission by Teknor of any fact, finding, conclusion, issue of law, or violation of law. However, this Paragraph shall 3 4 5 not diminish or otherwise affect the obligation, responsibilities, and duties of the Parties under this Consent Decree. 6 7 VII. BREACH OF CONSENT DECREE AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES 8 9 27. Dispute Resolution. If a dispute under this Consent Decree arises, or 10 either Party believes that a breach of this Consent Decree has occurred, the Parties 11 shall schedule a meet and confer within ten (10) business days of receiving written 12 notification from the other Party of a request for a meeting to determine whether a 13 violation of this Consent Decree has occurred and to develop a mutually agreed upon 14 15 plan, including implementation dates, to resolve the dispute. In the event that such 16 disputes cannot be resolved through this meet and confer process, the Parties agree to 17 request a settlement meeting before the Magistrate Judge assigned to this action. The 18 Parties agree to file any waivers necessary for the Magistrate Judge to preside over 19 any settlement conference pursuant to this Paragraph. In the event that the Parties 20 21 cannot resolve the dispute by the conclusion of the settlement meeting with the 22 Magistrate Judge, the Parties agree to submit the dispute via motion to the District 23 Court. In resolving any dispute arising from this Consent Decree, the Court shall have 24 discretion to award attorneys’ fees and costs to either party. The relevant provisions 25 of the then-applicable Clean Water Act and Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil 26 27 Procedure shall govern the allocation of fees and costs in connection with the 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 12 1 2 resolution of any disputes before the District Court. The District Court shall award relief limited to compliance orders and awards of attorneys’ fees and costs, subject to 3 4 5 proof. 28. Force Majeure. Teknor will notify Waterkeeper if timely 6 implementation of Teknor’s respective duties under this Consent Decree becomes 7 impossible due to circumstances beyond the control of Teknor or its agents, and which 8 could not have been reasonably foreseen and prevented by the respective Teknor’s 9 10 exercise of due diligence, including delays in permit issuance. Any delays due to the 11 Teknor’s respective failure to make timely and bona fide applications and to exercise 12 diligent efforts to comply with the terms in this Consent Decree will not, in any event, 13 be considered to be circumstances beyond Teknor’s control. Financial inability will 14 not, in any event, be considered to be circumstances beyond the Teknor’s control. 15 16 a. If Teknor claims impossibility, it will notify Waterkeeper in writing 17 within forty five (45) days of the date that Teknor discovers the event 18 or circumstance that caused or would cause non-performance with the 19 terms of this Consent Decree, or the date Teknor should have known 20 of the event or circumstance by the exercise of due diligence. The 21 notice must describe the reason for the non-performance and 22 23 specifically refer to this section of this Consent Decree. The notice 24 must describe the anticipated length of time the non-performance may 25 persist, the cause or causes of the non-performance, the measures 26 taken or to be taken by Teknor to prevent or minimize the non- 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 13 1 performance, the schedule by which the measures will be 2 implemented, and the anticipated date of compliance. Teknor will 3 adopt all reasonable measures to avoid and minimize such non- 4 performance. 5 b. The Settling Parties will meet and confer in good faith concerning the 6 7 non-performance and, if the Settling Parties concur that performance 8 was or is impossible, despite the timely good faith efforts of Teknor, 9 due to circumstances beyond the control of Teknor that could not 10 11 have been reasonably foreseen and prevented by the exercise of due 12 diligence by Teknor, new performance deadlines will be established. 13 c. If Waterkeeper disagrees with Teknor’s notice, or in the event that the 14 Settling Parties cannot timely agree on the terms of new performance 15 deadlines or requirements, either Settling Party may invoke the 16 17 dispute resolution process described in Paragraph 27 of this Consent 18 Decree. In such proceeding, Teknor will bear the burden of proving 19 that any delay in performance of any requirement of this Consent 20 Decree was caused or will be caused by force majeure and the extent 21 of any delay attributable to such circumstances. 22 23 VIII. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 24 29. 25 Effective Date. The Effective Date of this Consent Decree shall be upon the subsequent entry of the Consent Decree by the Court. 26 27 30. Term of Consent Decree. This Consent Decree shall terminate on 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 14 1 2 January 1, 2019, or through the conclusion of any proceeding to enforce this Consent Decree initiated prior to January 1, 2019, or until the completion of any payment or 3 4 5 affirmative duty required by this Consent Decree, whichever is the later occurrence. 31. Execution in Counterparts. The Consent Decree may be executed in 6 one or more counterparts which, taken together, shall be deemed to constitute one 7 and the same document. 8 32. Facsimile Signatures. The Parties’ signatures to this Consent Decree 9 10 11 transmitted by facsimile or electronic mail transmission shall be deemed binding. 33. Construction. The language in all parts of this Consent Decree, unless 12 otherwise stated, shall be construed according to its plain and ordinary meaning. The 13 captions and paragraph headings used in this Consent Decree are for reference only 14 and shall not affect the construction of this Consent Decree. 15 16 34. Authority to Sign. The undersigned are authorized to execute this 17 Consent Decree on behalf of their respective parties and have read, understood and 18 agreed to all of the terms and conditions of this Consent Decree. 19 20 35. Integrated Consent Decree. All Consent Decrees, covenants, representations and warranties, express or implied, oral or written, of the Parties 21 22 23 concerning the subject matter of this Consent Decree are contained herein. 36. Severability. In the event that any of the provisions of this Consent 24 Decree are held by a court to be unenforceable, the validity of the enforceable 25 provisions shall not be adversely affected. 26 27 37. Choice of Law. This Consent Decree shall be governed by the laws of 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 15 1 2 the United States, and where applicable, the laws of the State of California. 38. Full Settlement. This Consent Decree constitutes a full and final 3 4 settlement of this matter. It is expressly understood and agreed that the Consent 5 Decree has been freely and voluntarily entered into by the Parties with and upon 6 advice of counsel. 7 8 39. Negotiated Consent Decree. The Parties have negotiated this Consent Decree, and agree that it shall not be construed against the party preparing it, but 9 10 11 12 13 14 shall be construed as if the Parties jointly prepared this Consent Decree, and any uncertainty and ambiguity shall not be interpreted against any one party. 40. Modification of the Consent Decree. This Consent Decree, and any provisions herein, may not be changed, waived, or discharged unless by a written instrument signed by the Parties. 15 16 41. Assignment. Subject only to the express restrictions contained in this 17 Consent Decree, all of the rights, duties and obligations contained in this Consent 18 Decree shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Parties, and their 19 successors and assigns. 20 42. Mailing of Documents to Waterkeeper/Notices/Correspondence. 21 22 Any notices or documents required or provided for by this Consent Decree or related 23 thereto that are to be provided to Waterkeeper pursuant to this Consent Decree shall 24 be, to the extent feasible, sent via electronic mail transmission to the e-mail addresses 25 listed below or, if electronic mail transmission is not feasible, via certified U.S. Mail 26 27 with return receipt, or by hand delivery to the following address: 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 16 1 2 Los Angeles Waterkeeper: 5 Arthur Pugsley Los Angeles Waterkeeper 120 Broadway, Suite 105 Santa Monica, CA 90401 E-mail: arthur@lawaterkeeper.org 6 With copies sent to: 3 4 7 8 9 10 Douglas Chermak Lozeau Drury LLP 410 12th Street, Suite 250 Oakland, CA 94607 E-mail: doug@lozeaudrury.com 11 12 13 Unless requested otherwise by Teknor, any notices or documents required or provided for by this Consent Decree or related thereto that are to be provided to 14 15 Teknor pursuant to this Consent Decree shall, to the extent feasible, be provided by 16 electronic mail transmission to the e-mail addresses listed below, or, if electronic mail 17 transmission is not feasible, by certified U.S. Mail with return receipt, or by hand 18 delivery to the addresses below: 19 20 21 22 23 24 Teknor: Mr. Bahman Dariush Plant Manager Teknor Apex 420 South 6th Ave City of Industry, CA 91746 Email: bdariush@teknorapex.com 25 26 With copies sent to: 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 17 Peter Hsiao Morrison & Foerster LLP 707 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 6000 Los Angeles, CA 90017-3543 E-mail: PHsiao@mofo.com 1 2 3 4 5 6 Notifications of communications shall be deemed submitted on the date that they are emailed, or postmarked and sent by first-class mail or deposited with an 7 8 9 10 11 12 overnight mail/delivery service. Any changes of address or addressees shall be communicated in the manner described above for giving notices. 43. If for any reason the DOJ or the District Court should decline to approve this Consent Decree in the form presented, the Parties shall use their best efforts to work together to modify the Consent Decree within thirty (30) days so that it is 13 14 acceptable to the DOJ or the District Court. If the Parties are unable to modify this 15 Consent Decree in a mutually acceptable manner that is also acceptable to the 16 District Court, this Consent Decree shall immediately be null and void as well as 17 inadmissible as a settlement communication under Federal Rule of Evidence 408 and 18 California Evidence Code section 1152. 19 20 44. The settling Parties hereto enter into this Consent Decree, Order and 21 Final Judgment and submit it to the Court for its approval and entry as a final 22 judgment. 23 24 25 26 27 28 CONSENT DECREE Case No. 2:17-cv-06724-MWF-SS 18 LOS ANG~i.~S UVA'l'~RKEEPER ` ~13ru4e Reznik ~.._.:~~~ Executive Director Los Angeles Waterleeper T~ICN~R APE?4 COMPANY Date: ~i~. _ ~ ,?017 R9r. Ba Oman anus Plant iVlanager Approued as to form: I .,OZEAU DRURY LLP Date: `.~: c i~r ?~17 Dough Ch. Attoritey~ for t,os Angeles Waterkeeper i.nS fl1vGE1.ES U4JATF.R~EEPER Date: ?017 , ~. 8 Arthur Pu~,sley Aetorney far k.os A.n~zlrs Waterkeeper ('asr Ko. 2 I'^c~•~IN7?a.N1kt~•.1'`i 1~ 2 8 1 2 MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP ~'' ~i~ ~ ~ Date: 3 v 4 5 `'~ ,2017 ~x; Peter Hsiao Attorney for 'I'eknor Apex Company 6 7 IT IS SO ORDF,RFD. 8 9 Date: December 5, 2017 Honorable Michael W.Fitzgerald United States District Court Judge Central District of California l0 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 0 2 21 2 2 2 3 4 2 5 2 6 2 27 8 2 Casc Nn. 2:17-cv-06724-M WF-SS CONSIiN'P DGCRGE 2~ 9 2

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