After more than six years of litigation, the Iowa District Court for Muscatine County granted preliminary approval of a proposed $50 million settlement in Freeman et al., v. Grain Processing Corporation. The class action has already set national precedents. If the Settlement gets final approval after hearing, it will have changed thousands of lives and a community.

October 23, 2018 11:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On Monday, October 22, 2018, Judge John Telleen granted preliminary approval of a proposed $50 million settlement in Freeman v. Grain Processing Corporation (GPC), a nuisance class action over persistent smoke, odor and haze emitted by a corn wet-mill in Muscatine, Iowa. Miner, Barnhill & Galland (MBG) partners Sarah Siskind and Scott Entin were lead class counsel for the plant’s residential neighbors, working with James Larew and Claire Diallo of the Larew Law Office on the class counsel team.

At issue since the class action was filed in 2012: property rights and clean air. Since shortly after World War II, the mill has been processing Iowa corn into corn syrup, starches, animal feed, and other products. GPC’s mill was also emitting pollutants the neighbors claimed were soiling their homes and cars and generally impairing use and enjoyment homeowners take for granted—e.g., open windows, backyard barbeques, and the like.

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For more information on the case, go to Grain Processing Corporation Class Action Lawsuit.