Waste Action Project v. First Student Inc

CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedSeptember 23, 2024
Docket3:23-cv-05084
StatusUnknown

This text of Waste Action Project v. First Student Inc (Waste Action Project v. First Student Inc) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Waste Action Project v. First Student Inc, (W.D. Wash. 2024).

Opinion

1 > HON. DAVID G. ESTUDILLO

3 4 5 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON g AT TACOMA WASTE ACTION PROJECT, ) ? ) No. 3:23-cv-05084-DGE 1 Plaintiff, ) 0 v. ) CONSENT DECREE ) 11 || FIRST STUDENT, INC., ) ) 12 Defendant. ) 13 a )

14 I. STIPULATIONS 15 WHEREAS, Plaintiff Waste Action Project filed a complaint on February 1, 2023 (Dkt. 1) 16 || and a first amended complaint on July 21, 2023 (Dkt. 18) against defendants First Student, Inc. 17 || (“First Student”) and Strata Environmental Services, Inc (“Strata”) alleging violations of the Clean 18 |) Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251, et seq., relating to discharges of stormwater and other pollutants from 19 || First Student’s school bus transportation facility at or about 1128 St. Paul Avenue, Tacoma, WA 20 || 98421 (the “Facility”), and any contiguous or adjacent properties owned or operated by First 21 || Student, to the Thea Foss Waterway, and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, civil penalties, 22 23 CONSENT DECREE SMITH & LOWNEY PLLC No. 3:23-ev-05084-DGE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98112 1 (206) 860-2883

1 and attorneys’ fees and costs.

3 WEREAS, Waste Action Project and First Student and Strata stipulated to dismissal with

4 prejudice of Strata on August 16, 2023 (Dkt. 31). 5 WHEREAS, Waste Action Project and First Student (the “Parties”) agree that settlement of

6 these matters is in the best interest of the Parties and the public, and that entry of this Consent

7 Decree is the most appropriate means of resolving this action.

g WHEREAS, the Parties stipulate to the entry of this Consent Decree without trial,

9 adjudication, or admission of any issues of fact or law regarding Waste Action Project’s claims or

10 allegations set forth in its complaint and its sixty-day notice.

11 DATED this day of July, 2024

12 FIRST STUDENT INC. WASTE ACTION PROJECT 13 By By 14 Michael Petrucci Greg Wingard Senior VP & General Counsel Executive Director 15 16 Il. ORDER AND DECREE

7 THIS MATTER came before the Court upon the Parties’ Joint Motion for Entry of Consent

12 Decree and the foregoing Stipulations of the Parties. Having considered the Stipulations and the

19 promises set forth below, the Court hereby ORDERS, ADJUDGES, and DECREES as follows:

20 1. This Court has jurisdiction over the Parties and subject matter of this action.

21 22 23 CONSENT DECREE SMITH & LOWNEY PLLC No. 3:23-cv-05084-DGE Searrie, WASHINGTON 98112 2 (206) 860-2883

1 2. Each signatory for the Parties certifies for that party that he or she 1s authorized to

3 enter into the agreement set forth herein and to legally bind the party or parties, their successors in

4 interest, and assigns of the Parties.

5 3. This Consent Decree applies to and binds the Parties and their successors and

6 assigns. 7 4. This Consent Decree and any injunctive relief ordered within applies to the

g operation, oversight, or both by First Student of the Facility. 9 5. This Consent Decree is a full and complete settlement and release of all the

10 claims in the complaint and the sixty-day notice and all other claims known or unknown

11 existing as of the date of entry of the Consent Decree that could be asserted under the Clean

Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251-1387, arising from operation of the Facility. Upon termination

B of this Consent Decree, these claims are released and dismissed with prejudice. First Student’s

14 payment of attorney’s fees and litigation costs set forth in paragraph 9 of the Consent Decree

15 will be in full and complete satisfaction of any claims Waste Action Project and Smith &

16 Lowney, PLLC have or may have, either legal or equitable, known or unknown, and of any 7 kind or nature whatsoever, for fees, expenses, and costs incurred in the Litigation. 18 Enforcement of this Consent Decree is Waste Action Project’s exclusive remedy for any 19 violation of its terms.

0 6. This Consent Decree is a settlement of disputed facts and law. It is not an admission

41 adjudication regarding any allegations by Waste Action Project in this case or of any fact or

conclusion of law related to those allegations, nor evidence of any wrongdoing or misconduct on

23 No. 3.23 -ev-05084-D 21 caer uoun reat No. 3:23-cv-05084-DGE SEATTLE, WashiNGTON 98112

1 the part of First Student or its contractors, customers, or other third parties. First Student agrees to

3 the terms and conditions identified below in paragraphs 7-9 in full and complete satisfaction of all

4 the claims covered by this Consent Decree:

5 7. Upon entry of the Consent Decree, First Student will implement the following 6 injunctive relief:

7 a. First Student will adhere to the requirements of the Clean Water Act at the

g Facility and the terms and conditions of the Industrial Stormwater General

9 Permit (“ISGP”) and any successor or modified versions of the NPDES

10 permits. 11 b. First Student will, on a quarterly basis, electronically forward to Waste Action Project copies of all communications or documents provided to

B and/or received from Ecology related to the Facility’s compliance with the

14 ISGP, along with written progress reports that explain First Student’s efforts

15 to comply with the Consent Decree, on a quarterly basis for the life of the

16 Consent Decree.

7 c. First Student exceeds the ISGP’s zinc benchmark in any quarter at Facility 18 Outfall 1, it will immediately conduct a comprehensive study, with

19 assistance of a qualified consultant, of zinc pollutant sources onsite and

0 remedy the pollutant sources before the next sampling event. If this

1 condition is triggered, then First Student also agrees to add any identified

pollutant sources to its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). If

23 CONSENT DECREE SMITH & LOWNEY PLLC . 2317 EAST JOHN STREET No, 3:23-cv-05084-DGE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98112 4 (206) 860-2883

1 multiple samples are collected at the same discharge location in the same

3 calendar quarter, First Student may average the sample results and compare 4 the average to the permit benchmark to determine whether the benchmark

5 was exceeded.

6 d. First Student will, within 30 days of entry of the Consent Decree, identify 7 rooftop air vent(s) and/or smokestack emission sources, and other rooftop g stormwater contamination sources in the facility’s SWPPP. First Student

9 will also add and implement source control best management practices 10 (“BMPs”) within 30 days of entry of the Consent Decree to mitigate 11 contamination from those sources such as air pollution control equipment (e.g., a scrubber) and/or cease burning waste oil onsite.

B e. First Student will inspect the Facility entrance driveway and adjacent public 14 roadway on a daily basis and conduct weekly cleanup of any tracked-out

15 sediment by a vacuum or regenerative air sweeper on the paved areas of the

16 site and on the public road. If, during a daily inspection, a significant 7 accumulation of track out is observed, First Student agrees to initiate cleanup 18 within 24 hours.

19 f. First Student will, within 14 days of entry of the Consent Decree, replace the

0 catch basin insert at Catch Basin #1 (which drains to Outfall 002) with an

1 insert containing appropriate treatment media, such as biochar or equivalent, which is designed to remove solids, copper, and zinc. First Student will

23 CONSENT DECREE SMITH & LOWNEY PLLC .

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

§ 1251-1387
33 U.S.C. § 1251-1387
Citizen suits
33 U.S.C. § 1365(d)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Waste Action Project v. First Student Inc, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/waste-action-project-v-first-student-inc-wawd-2024.