To review documents and exhibits for the neighborhood lawsuit against Madison-Kipp for PCE contamination, visit this page: RCRA Exhibits |
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To visit the Department of Natural Resources web site devoted to activity on cleanup of the PCE contamination, visit this page: Madison-Kipp Corporation |
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| Newspaper Articles on
the PCE Contamination November 8, 2012 More neighbors file class-action suit against Kipp over pollutants Another set of Madison-Kipp’s neighbors has filed a class-action lawsuit against the company seeking compensation for pollutants that they allege have diminished the value of their homes. September 28, 2012 State sues Madison-Kipp over alleged violations of hazardous spill laws The Wisconsin Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Madison-Kipp Corp. charging the East Side metal parts fabricator has violated state laws on the reporting and disposal of hazardous wastes. July 20, 2012 Grass Roots: Drought prompts city to tap well eyed for possible contamination The Madison Water Utility is preparing to use Well 8, a mothballed deep well in Olbrich Park that is close enough to Madison-Kipp Corporation that officials are doing special testing of the groundwater it draws from. May 11, 2012 Grass Roots: Madison-Kipp site is sure getting attention from DNR Making a stink about pollution from the east-side metal parts factory seems to be paying off at last for its neighbors. After years of little progress, the Kipp site as of late has drawn a lot of attention. April 23, 2012 Neighbors worry as toxic plume from Madison-Kipp Corp. nears well City water and health officials are hoping a series of monitoring wells in the neighborhoods around Madison-Kipp Corp. on the East Side will provide crucial information about the extent and movement of a contaminant plume that could be spreading toward a public drinking water well. April 20, 2012 Grass Roots: Lawyer says newly found contamination may be part of class action against Kipp Contamination from PCBs, which the state has just revealed are present on the east-side factory site, could be part of a class action approved this week by a federal court, says a lawyer for neighbors of Madison-Kipp Corp. April 20, 2012 Class action status approved in Madison-Kipp lawsuit A federal judge has granted residents of 34 East Side homes class action status in a lawsuit against Madison-Kipp Corp. Residents of those homes on South Marquette and Waubesa streets will be able to proceed collectively in litigation following Judge Barbara Crabb's Monday ruling. April 19, 2012 Grass Roots: PCB contamination found at embattled Madison-Kipp Corp. Traces of a suspected carcinogen not previously recorded on the grounds of the plant on the city's east side were discovered during digging for a system to extract soil vapors of another industrial contaminant that has been leaching on to neighboring properties. March 2, 2012 Grass Roots: Kipp neighbors want seat at the table at cleanup talks Neighbors say the state has not moved fast enough to investigate how deep and wide contamination — first identified in 1994 — from the toxic solvent tetrachloroethylene has spread into the neighborhood from the Kipp plant on Atwood Avenue. February 8, 2012 How neighbors' frustration with Madison-Kipp erupted into major lawsuit Many Madison-Kipp Corp. neighbors say they don't mind the east side factory's noise, but they are suing over chemical vapors recently discovered under their homes. February 8, 2012 PCE at Madison-Kipp timeline July 18, 1994: The Department of Natural Resources notifies Madison-Kipp Corp. that it is legally responsible to investigate and clean up tetrachloroethylene (PCE) groundwater contamination on its property off of Atwood Avenue. "The longer contamination is left in the environment, the farthe… January 21, 2012 Grass Roots: Neighbors seek class action against Kipp in pollution suit Neighbors of Madison-Kipp Corp. claim that at least 34 properties are contaminated, or threatened by contamination, with vapors of an industrial solvent spreading underground from the east-side factory site. December 21, 2012 Disturbing soil test results near Madison-Kipp prompt DNR to warn neighboring homeowners Testing has revealed more contamination in the neighborhood around the Madison-Kipp plant on Madison's East Side, including seven homes where soil in the backyards showed concentrations of an industrial carcinogen in vapor form above recommended health guidelines. December 20, 2012 Madison-Kipp Map: Tetrachloroethylene vapor levels around Madison-Kipp October 21, 2012 Families file suit against Madison-Kipp over chemicals Seven families on Madison's East Side filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Madison-Kipp Corp., charging that chemicals from the company have contaminated their homes. |
The beginning.... October 20, 2011 - Madison Kipp Neighbors File Suit in Federal Court - News Release Seven families living on Marquette Street in Madison, Wisconsin filed a lawsuit in federal court early today against Madison-Kipp Corporation, alleging that the nearby manufacturer is the source of dangerous chemical contamination recently discovered at their homes, and that Madison-Kipp has failed for more than fifteen years to adequately investigate and cleanup the contamination. A press conference will be held on October 20th at 4:00 pm at the home of one of the plaintiffs. WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON YOUTUBE HERE WATCH CHANNEL 3 NEWS COVERAGE HERE The seven families bringing the lawsuit are: Kathleen McHugh and Eric Fuller at 146 S. Marquette Street; Kenneth Hennrick, Jr. at 142 S. Marquette Street; Deanna Schneider at 150 S. Marquette Street; Doris Yang Berge and Prentice Berge at 154 S. Marquette Street; Peter Uttech at 162 S. Marquette Street; Sharon Helmus and Carla Mills at 166 S. Marquette Street; and Chad Gooblis and Brandi Rogers at 202 S. Marquette Street. These families allege that a human carcinogen known as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), as well as other toxins, have been released from Madison-Kipp's manufacturing facility located at 201 Waubesa Street, Madison. The families further allege that these chemical releases have contaminated the groundwater beneath their homes, and that the contamination in the groundwater has migrated in vapor form up through the soil, and has entered, or threatens to enter, their homes. For example, PCE has been discovered in and around these homes, in soil and in vapor, both immediately underneath and inside some of the homes. The lawsuit seeks a thorough investigation into the contamination on the properties of these seven families and throughout the residential neighborhood surrounding the plant.Also, the families demand a thorough clean-up of the contamination on their properties, as well as a clean-up of any other contamination found through further investigation. Finally, the lawsuit seeks compensation for property damage due to the contamination, as well as punitive damages, claiming that Madison-Kipp has known for years of the risk to these seven families and their neighbors, but did not act responsibly to protect them. The Plaintiffs are represented by Shawn M. Collins, Edward J. Manzke of The Collins Law Firm, Naperville, IL; Norman B. Berger, Michael D. Hayes and of Varga Berger Ledsky Hayes & Casey, Chicago, IL and Richard J. Lewandowski of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Madison, Wisconsin. Copies of the Complaint are available upon request, or can be viewed at: http://www.collinslaw.com/files/MadisonComplaint.pdf Media Contacts:
Attorneys representing Marquette Street neighbors notify Madison - Kipp Corporation that if it does not resolve the problems resulting from its perchloroethylene (PCE) contamination with 90 days, a law suit will be filed with federal court under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to obtain relief and penalties. You can read their notification here. June 15, 2011 - WDNR Informational Meeting Staff from the Wisconsin of Department Natural Resources host a meeting at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ on Atwood Avenue to provide neighbors with the latest developments in Madison-Kipp chemical cleanup. In 1994, the WDNR had first informed Kipp that the company was obligated to determine the degree and extent of the contamination and adequately address the contamination. PCE vapors had been found to be entering homes along Marquette Street. Additional wells were to be installed across Marquette Street to determine if contamination was found.This is the first public meeting organized the WDNR to inform residents since the contamination was first discovered in the early 1990's. You can read the WDNR Fact Sheet distributed at the meeting here. December 21, 1999 - WDNR Letter to Madison Residents Open letter to Madison Residents. It is not clear who received this letter. It describes the WDNR investigation of PCE contamination by Kipp. It concludes that "the extend of the contamination has been defined." You can read the letter here. July 18, 1994 - WDNR Letter to Madison-Kipp Requiring Cleanup of PCE Spill You can read the WDNR letter here. "It is important that an investigation begins at your site as soon as possible. The longer contamination is left in the environment, the farther it can spread and the more difficult and costly it becomes to cleanup." |