« The Flint Water Crisis, KWA and Strategic-Structural Racism – Guest post by Professor Peter Hammer | Main | Supreme Court allows review of federal wetland jurisdictional determinations before permitting »

Attorney General Bill Schuette on behalf of the People of the State of Michigan v. Veolia North America, Inc. et al. – Pleadings

Attorney General Bill Schuette, on behalf of the People of the State of Michigan, has filed a civil action against Veolia North America, Inc., Veolia North America, LLC, Veolia Water North America Operating Services, LLC, and Veolia Environnement, S.A. (collectively known as Veolia) and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, P.C., Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc., and Leo A. Daly Company (collectively known as LAN) for their roles in the events known as the Flint Water Crisis, including but not limited to the corrosion of lead pipes, the leaching of lead into the water supply, and the lead poisoning of residents.

The complaint, filed in Genesee County Circuit Court (Flint, Michigan), claims professional negligence (Veolia and LAN), public nuisance (Veolia and LAN), and fraud (Veolia). Attorney General Bill Schuette, on behalf of the People of the State of Michigan, brings this action as parens patriae to protect the People’s interests in public health and general welfare, and recover damages for harms to those interests.

This is the first civil suit (there have also been nine felony indictments, so far) filed by our Special Counsel team. As Special Assistant Attorney General, I’ll be leading this civil litigation, working closely with Special Counsel Todd Flood and attorneys Gary Reeves and Don Sheff.

Update: In February 2019, following my termination as Special Assistant Attorney General by the Solicitor General, Attorney General Dana Nessel (elected in November 2018 and now the named Attorney General for the civil action) assigned the case to the attorneys for State of Michigan and former Governor Snyder, in effect destroying the ethical fire wall within the Attorney General's office and giving the plaintiff People's case to the lawyers for the defendant State and Governor in related matters. 

Complaint:

Attorney General Bill Schuette on behalf of the People of the State of Michigan v. Veolia North America, Inc. et al. – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/AG_People_v_Veolia_complaint.pdf

Substitution of Counsel (February 2019) - https://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/AG_People_v_Veolia_substitution_of_counsel_Feb_2019.pdf 

Complaint Exhibits:

  1. LAN (with Rowe Engineering, Inc.), “Analysis of the Flint River as a Permanent Water Supply for the City of Flint,” July 2011 (LAN’s 2011 Report) - available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/LAN_2011_Report_with_Appendices.pdf
  2. LAN (with Rowe Engineering, Inc.), “Technical Memorandum Cost of Service Study Flint Water Treatment Plant,” July 2011 (LAN’s 2011 Technical Memorandum) - http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/LAN_2011_Report_with_Appendices.pdf
  3. Removed
  4. City of Flint, “Resolution Authorizing Approval to Enter into a Professional Engineering Services Contract for the Implementation of Placing the Flint Water Plant into Operation,” June 26, 2013 (2013 LAN Resolution) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Kurtz_Resolution_FWTP.PDF
  5. City of Flint, Responses to City of Flint Residents’ Water Questions, January 13, 2015 (City of Flint Responses to Citizens’ Water Questions) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/City_of_Flint_Water_Questions.pdf
  6. MDEQ, “Compliance Communication Total Trihalomethane Operational Evaluation Requested,” September 10, 2014 (2014 Compliance Communication) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/MDEQ_THM_Compliance_Communication_September_10_2014.pdf
  7. Flint Journal/MLive, “General Motors shutting off Flint River water at engine plant over corrosion worries,” October 13, 2014 (2014 General Motors Corrosion Article) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/2014_General_Motors_Corrosion_Article.pdf
  8. LAN, Draft Operational Evaluation Report for the City of Flint, “Trihalomethane Formation Concern,” November 2014 (LAN’s 2014 Report) - available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/LAN_2014_Report.pdf
  9. Flint Journal/MLive, “Officials say Flint water is getting better, but many residents unsatisfied,” January 21, 2015 (2015 Residents Unsatisfied Article) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/2015_Residents_Unsatisfied_MLive_Article.pdf
  10. Veolia, “Response to Invitation to Bid for Water Quality Consultant,” Flint Proposal No.: 15-573, January 29, 2015 (Veolia’s 2015 Bid) - available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Veolia_2015_Bid.pdf
  11. City of Flint, “Resolution to Veolia Water for Water Quality Consultant,” February 4, 2015 (2015 Veolia Resolution) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Veolia_Flint_Contract.pdf
  12. Flint Journal/MLive, “University of Michigan-Flint reveals water quality test results to campus,” February 9, 2015 (2015 University of Michigan Lead Test Article) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/2015_University_of_Michigan_Lead_Test_Article.pdf
  13. City of Flint, “Flint Hires International Urban Water Experts of Veolia North America to Assess City’s Water Issues,” February 10, 2015 (2015 Veolia Announcement) – available at https://www.cityofflint.com/2015/02/10/flint-hires-international-urban-water-experts-of-veolia-north-america-to-assess-citys-water-issues/
  14. Veolia, “Interim Water Quality Report,” February 18, 2015 (Veolia’s 2015 Interim Report) - available at www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Veolia_2015_Interim_Report.pdf
  15. City of Flint, “Consumer Notice of Lead & Copper Results in Drinking Water,” February 2015 (2015 Consumer Notice of Lead) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/City_of_Flint_Lead_Copper_Consumer_Notice.pdf
  16. LAN, Final Operational Evaluation Report, “Trihalomethane Formation Concern,” February 27, 2015 (LAN’s February 2015 Report) - available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/LAN_February_2015_Report.pdf
  17. Jennifer Crooks and Miguel Del Toral Emails with MDEQ employees, February 26-27, 2015 (February 2015 EPA Email Correspondence) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Crooks_Del_toral_February_26_2015_Email.pdf
  18. Veolia, Flint Water Quality Report, March 12, 2015 (Veolia’s 2015 Report) - available at www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Veolia_2015_Report.pdf
  19. LAN, Final Operational Evaluation Report, “Trihalomethane Formation Concern,” August 27, 2015 (LAN’s August 2015 Report) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/LAN_August_2015_Report.pdf
  20. Governor Rick Snyder, “Declaration of Emergency for Flint,” January 5, 2016 (2016 Snyder Declaration of Emergency) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/Snyder_Declaration_of_Emergency.pdf
  21. EPA, “Emergency Administrative Order,” January 21, 2016 (2016 EPA Emergency Administrative Order) – available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/EPA_Emergency_Administrative_Order.pdf  

Case Management Order:

In re Flint Water Litigation, Case Management Order #1 (Genesee Circuit Court, November 2016) - available at http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/In_re_Flint_Water_Litigation_CMO_1.pdf 

In re Flint Water Litigation, Objections by State Defendants (former Governor Snyder) and plaintiff People (February 2019) - available at https://www.greatlakeslaw.org/Flint/In_re_Flint_objections_Snyder_People_Feb2019.pdf.

Posted in Flint Water Crisis |