Lawsuit Charges Gelman Delayed Cleanup

Lawsuit charges Gelman delayed cleanup

The owners of a Wagner Road office building have filed yet another lawsuit in the long plume of legal troubles flowing from Gelman Sciences Inc.’s groundwater pollution problem.

John Laird and Jack Shipman, owners of a building at 212 N. Wagner, have sued the Scio Township company and its chairman and founder Charles Gelman. The firm, which makes filters and membranes, is believed to be responsible for a mile-long plume of ground-water tainted with the organic solvent 1,4-dioxane, which has caused cancer in laboratory animals.

Because the well at 212 Wagner pumped groundwater contaminated with an unacceptable 3 parts per billion of dioxane, Laird and Shipman were required to provide bottled water to their tenants, and to connect the building to Ann Arbor sewer and water at substantial cost, the suit alleges.

In a new wrinkle that hasn’t appeared in earlier suits against the firm, the suit also says Charles Gelman acted to delay containment of the spread of the pollution. “He has... specifically directed, sanctioned and participated in maintaining the conditions caused by the releases,” the suit says. “There is some new evidence on that point,” said attorney William Stapleton, who represents the landlords.

The company fought for nearly five years in court after Attorney General Frank Kelley sued to get an order to clean up. The parties finally settled that suit last fall and Gelman has begun portions of the four-part cleanup.

Gelman Sciences spokesman Robert Buker could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Stapleton declined to discuss how much the landlords are seeking, other than “whatever amount they are entitled to,” plus interest and legal fees.

The case has not been assigned to a judge in Washtenaw County Circuit Court and no dates have been set.