The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutResolution No. R2023-29 RESOLUTION NO. R2023-29 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, APPROVING A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO OPT OUT OF THE CLASS ACTION LITIGATION IN RE: AQUEOUS FILM-FORMING FOAMS PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION., MDL NO. 2:18-MN-02873 IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA, CHARLESTON DIVISION; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FILE A REQUEST FOR EXCLUSION WITH THE NOTICE ADMINISTRATOR, COUNSEL FOR THE SETTLING DEFENDANTS AND CLASS COUNSEL; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ************************************************************************************* WHEREAS,In Re:Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation., MDL No. 2:18- mn-02873 in the U.S.District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division(the"Lawsuit") has been certified as a class action lawsuit; and WHEREAS, this resolution relates to (i) City of Camden, et al., v. 3M Company, No. 2:23-cv- 03147-RMG;and(ii) City of Camden, et al., v.E.I.Dupont De Nemours and Company, et al.,No.2:23-cv- 03230-RMG; and WHEREAS,the Lawsuit involves varied causes of actions and claims against 3M Company("3M") and DuPont de Nemours,Inc.,The Chemours Company,The Chemours Company FC,LLC,Corteva,Inc., and E.I.DuPont De Nemours and Company n/k/a EIDP,Inc. (collectively"DuPont")along with numerous other defendants relating to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination of drinking water in public water systems;and WHEREAS, while denying that they have any liability, 3M and DuPont have each proposed a settlement(collectively the"Settlement"); and WHEREAS, the City can choose to remain a settlement class member and participate in the settlement or opt out by requesting exclusion; and WHEREAS, after considering the Lawsuit and the Settlement, the City Council believes that it is in the best interest of the City and its citizens to opt out of the settlement class;NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, STATE OF TEXAS: Section 1. That the facts and matters set forth in the recitals of this resolution are hereby found to be true and correct. Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Friendswood hereby elects to exclude the City of Friendswood from the Settlement Class by opting out. As such, the City Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to execute the Request for Exclusion,which is attached hereto as Exhibit"A"and incorporated herein for all intents and purposes. Section 3. That on or before December 4, 2023, the City Attorney is directed to submit the Request for Exclusion to the following: a. Counsel for Settling Defendants: 1. Counsel for 3M: Kevin H. Rhodes Executive Vice President and Thomas J. Perrelli Chief Jenner&Block LLP Richard F. Bulger Legal Affairs Officer 1099 New York Avenue, Mayer Brown LLP Legal Affairs Department N.W., 71 South Wacker Drive 3M Company Suite 900 Chicago, Illinois 60606 3M Center,220-9E-01 Washington,DC 20001-4412 St. Paul,MN 55144-1000 2. Counsel for DuPont: Jeffrey M.Wintner Kevin T. Van Wart Michael T. Reynolds Graham W. Meli Kirkland&Ellis LLP Cravath, Swaine&Moore Wachtell,Lipton,Rosen&Katz LLP 300 North LaSalle 51 West 52nd Street Chicago,IL 60654 825 Eighth Avenue New York,NY 10019 New York,NY 10019 b. Class Counsel: Scott Summy Michael A. London Paul J.Napoli Baron&Budd,P.C. Douglas&London Napoli Shkolnik 3102 Oak Lawn Ave, Ste. 1100 59 Maiden Lane,6th Floor 1302 Av. Ponce de Leon Dallas,Texas 75219 New York,NY 10038 San Juan,Puerto Rico 00907 Elizabeth A. Fegan Joseph F.Rice Fegan Scott LLC Motley Rice LLC 150 S. Wacker Dr,24th floor 28 Bridgeside Blvd. Chicago, I160606 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 c. Notice Administrator: In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation c/o Notice Administrator 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210 Philadelphia,PA 19103 d. Special Master: Matthew Garrretson Wolf/Garretson LLC P.O. Box 2806 Park City,UT 84060 e. Claims Administrator: AFFF Public Water System Claims P.O. Box 4466 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 Section 4. That this resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage and approval. 2 PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED by the affirmative vote of the City Council of the City of Friendswood on this the 2°a day of October,2023. IKE F , Mayor AT T: OF RIE/Vo L CIA BRYSCH,City Secr O APPROVED AS TO FO * KAREN L. HORNER,City Attorney H:\City Council\Resolutions\2023\10-02-2023\Resolution-Opt out of 3M&DuPont Settlement.docx 3 Request for Exclusion, Page 1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON DIVISION IN RE: AQUEOUS FILM-FORMING FOAMS PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION §MDL No. 2:18-mn-02873 § § This Document relates to: City of Camden, et al., v. 3M Company, No. 2:23-cv-03147-RMG) § § § and §City of Camden, et al., v. E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Company, et al., No. 2:23-cv- 03230-RMG) § § REQUEST FOR EXCLUSION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS I, as the Mayor of the City of Friendswood and on behalf of such Texas home-rule municipality (the "City"), certify, that the following information is true and correct: ****************************************************************** Name of Class Member: City of Friendswood Authorized Representative: Mike Foreman, Mayor Address: 910 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546 Telephone Number: 281-996-3200 Fax Number: 281-482-1634 Email: mayor@friendswood.com ****************************************************************** The City received notice of the Class Action Settlements of (i) 3M Company ("3M") and (ii) The Chemours Company, The Chemours Company FC, LLC., Du Pont de Nemours, Inc., Corteva, Inc., and E.I. Dupont de Nemours and Company n/k/a EIDP, Inc. ("DuPont") in the above-referenced case (collectively the "Settlement"). On October 2, 2023, the City Council of the City determined, at a public meeting held in accordance with all applicable laws, not to participate in the Settlement and to be excluded from the Settlement class, which decision is evidenced by Resolution No. 2023-__, a certified copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein for all intents and purposes. The City Council of the City made such decision understanding that the City of Friendswood will not: (i)be bound by any orders or judgments effecting the Settlement; Exhibit "A" Request for Exclusion, Page 2 (ii) be entitled to any of the relief or other benefits provided under the Settlement Agreements; (iii) gain any rights by virtue of the Settlement Agreements; or (iv) be entitled to submit an objection. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on this the 10th day of October, 2023. ______________________________ MIKE FOREMAN, Mayor CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that on October 10, 2023, I served the foregoing document by certified mail, return receipt requested to the persons listed below: a. Counsel for Settling Defendants: 1. Counsel for 3M: Kevin H. Rhodes Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Affairs Officer Legal Affairs Department 3M Company 3M Center, 220-9E-01 St. Paul, MN 55144-1000 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4253 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7980 52 Thomas J. Perrelli Jenner & Block LLP 1099 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 900 Washington, DC 20001-4412 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4260 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7980 69 Richard F. Bulger Mayer Brown LLP 71 South Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4277 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7980 76 2. Counsel for DuPont: Jeffrey M. Wintner Graham W. Meli Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz 51 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4284 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7980 45 Kevin T. Van Wart Kirkland & Ellis LLP 300 North LaSalle Chicago, IL 60654 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4291 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7977 89 Michael T. Reynolds Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP 825 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10019 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4307 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7977 96 b. Class Counsel: Scott Summy Baron & Budd, P.C. 3102 Oak Lawn Ave, Ste. 1100 Dallas, Texas 75219 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4314 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7978 02 Michael A. London Douglas & London 59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor New York, NY 10038 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4321 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 01 Paul J. Napoli Napoli Shkolnik 1302 Av. Ponce de Leon San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4338 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 18 Request for Exclusion, Page 3 Elizabeth A. Fegan Fegan Scott LLC 150 S. Wacker Dr, 24th floor Chicago, Il 60606 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4345 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 25 Joseph F. Rice Motley Rice LLC 28 Bridgeside Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4352 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 32 c. Notice Administrator: In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation c/o Notice Administrator 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4369 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 49 d. Special Master: Matthew Garrretson Wolf/Garretson LLC P.O. Box 2806 Park City, UT 84060 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4376 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 56 e. Claims Administrator: AFFF Public Water System Claims P.O. Box 4466 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 Certified Mail #: 7021 2720 0001 5647 4383 & RR# 9590 9402 7517 2098 7979 63 _________________________ Karen L. Horner City Attorney City of Friendswood 910 S. Friendswood Dr. Friendswood, TX 77546 281-996-3200 281-482-1634 CAO@friendswood.com H:\Legal\Suits\Open\In Re Aqueous Filj-Foerming Foams Products Liability Litigation\Request for Exclusion.docx