LA County agrees to pay million to settle lawsuit regarding odor issues from Dominguez Channel.

Los Angeles County has agreed to a settlement of million to address the grievances of over 24,000 individuals affected by a series of unpleasant odors emanating from the Dominguez Channel in Carson, California, during the summer of 2021. This settlement results in an approximate payout of 0 per affected individual if divided equally among the claimants.

The decision came during a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting held on Tuesday, during which the settlement was included in the consent calendar, a collection of routine items often approved in a single vote without discussion. The mass tort lawsuits filed against the county alleged that both the county and its Flood Control District neglected their responsibilities in managing the Dominguez Channel, which stretches approximately 15.7 miles through the cities of Hawthorne, Carson, and Torrance. The smelly incident predominantly stemmed from a warehouse fire that ignited stacks of hand sanitizer, resulting in harmful runoff entering the region’s storm drain system.

The settlement occurs shortly after a jury awarded .8 million in damages to 24 residents from Carson who had taken legal action against the warehouse’s owner, Prologis, and its tenants. Prologis is financially responsible for roughly 7% of that judgment. However, an additional group of 13,750 plaintiffs is still pursuing their claims in an ongoing case, with legal experts predicting that the total damage awarded could escalate beyond billion if similar amounts are granted in those proceedings.

Legal representatives for the affected individuals celebrated the county’s decision as a prudent choice to circumvent protracted pretrial proceedings. The settlement allows Los Angeles County to fully extricate itself from pending litigation, having already spent nearly .2 million on associated costs, as documented in a case summary presented to the board.

The objectionable odors plagued the South Bay region for over ten weeks while authorities and air quality management experts attempted to ascertain their source. Initially attributed to decaying vegetation, investigators ultimately determined that the runoff from the warehouse fire was the primary trigger. This noxious combination settled into stagnant water within the channel, leading to a depletion of oxygen levels that resulted in significant ecological disturbances and elevated hydrogen sulfide gas concentrations in nearby communities.

In a concurrent legal action, Los Angeles County has filed a suit aiming to recover costs from the property owner and tenants involved in the incident. The financial repercussions of the event have been substantial, with estimates of remediation costs reaching as high as 3 million, while the county has already invested at least million in efforts to mitigate the foul odors. The county has also provided financial assistance to residents for air purification measures and temporary relocations, in response to the ongoing disruption.

As the situation continues to unfold, the stakeholders involved remain vigilant, and further developments are anticipated in the coming months as other lawsuits progress through the judicial system.