GADSDEN
Testimony ended Friday in the initial phase of the Monsanto trial with a discussion of corporate contributions and spending by Solutia in recent years.
Plaintiff attorney Donald Stewart questioned Solutia plant manager David Cain about potential linkage between the company's handling of PCB contamination and contributions to a variety of local institutions and environmental programs, such as local schools and the Forever Wild recreation project on Coldwater Mountain, above Monsanto's South Landfill.
Stewart showed Cain several documents he obtained from the company, one of which mentioned "significantly increasing" community outreach, contributions and political involvement in the Anniston area in the context of "containing media issues regionally."
Cain said he had never seen those documents. He also said that he personally has little involvement in the PCB cleanup. Rather, he said, Solutia's remediation team in Anniston reports directly to corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.
Regarding Solutia's corporate contributions, Cain responded, "At every Solutia site, you will find these type of activities."
During cross-examination by Monsanto attorney Jere White, Cain described additional charitable giving by Solutia, noting that Anniston employees sit on the boards of directors of 12 or 13 local civic organizations.
He also described the recent establishment of a "certified wildlife habitat" on Monsanto's former landfills and defended Solutia's decision to fence its properties in western Anniston, many of which were acquired during PCB-related buyouts.
He said the fences are required under hazardous waste management regulations. But he added, "There's nothing unusual about companies fencing property they own."
Also on Friday, Circuit Judge Joel Laird told the attorneys in the trial to meet next Tuesday to discuss potential settlement of the plaintiff's claims.
The judge scheduled closing arguments in the Bowie vs. Monsanto trial for Wednesday at 9 a.m. in Gadsden circuit court.
