In a case such as this, one would imagine that the locals were awarded millions in well-deserved compensation. This, however, was not the case. The Stringfellow case was so multifaceted that it had to be seen as many as four thousand separate personal-injury cases. If each one lasted a little under a year, the entire process would be wrapped up in two centuries. Instead, negotiations were undertaken. In November 1991, Stringfellow offered $8 million in compensation, and GE offered $5 million. After the 9-month trial, eight of the seventeen plaintiffs were awarded nothing. The state of California was ordered to pay the nine remaining plaintiffs the miniscule sum of $159,147. The monumental decision in 1992 to appropriate $150 million to the endeavor marks the largest private party Superfund settlement ever, and will protect the town of Glen Avon by ensuring an entire cleanup of the acid pits.
This decision marked the beginning of an era in California - one that fueled those who believed they had certain environmental rights. …
