Situation
Northern States Power Co. sought contribution from our client, Ashland County, on a $160 million cleanup of Chequamegon Bay in Lake Superior. The plaintiff claimed that Ashland County had contributed to pollution at the site during a brief period of ownership in the late 1930s.
Result
Our team proved that the plaintiff’s theory of liability against Ashland County was unsupported by evidence. The court ruled that Ashland County was not a covered person under the federal Superfund statute and was not responsible for any contribution. Northern States Power dropped its appeal of the verdict.