OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORPORATION

On November 15, 2011, the United States filed a Complaint against Occidental Chemical Corporation, Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc., and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, L.L.C., the current and former owners or operators of the Occidental Chemical Corporation Superfund Site in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County, PA. Along with the Complaint, the United States lodged a Consent Decree that, when entered, will resolve the government’s claims under Sections 107 and 113 of CERCLA against the Settling Defendants, who have agreed to pay EPA $2,130,600.88 for its past response costs and 100% of the Agency’s future response costs. Settling defendant Occidental Chemical Corporation (f/k/a Hooker Chemical & Plastics Corp.) currently owns the Site and manufactured polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) plastic resins there from 1980 to 2005. Occidental purchased the Site from Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, who manufactured tires and PVC there from approximately 1945 to 1980. Settling defendant Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, L.L.C. (“BATO”) is the ultimate successor by merger to Firestone. Settling defendant Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc., a corporate affiliate of Occidental, is the current operator of the Site. Glenn Springs assumed management of the Site in 2005 after OxyChem shutdown its PVC-manufacturing facility. EPA placed the Site on the National Priorities List in 1989 and issued a ROD in 1993 to address unsafe levels of trichloroethylene (“TCE”), vinyl chlori