Wisconsin Department of Justice
P.O. Box 7857
Madison, WI 53707-7857
PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER
ATTORNEY GENERAL

Madison, WI – August 4, 2003
Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager announced today that the Wisconsin Department of Justice has settled an environmental enforcement lawsuit against Midwest Plating Corp. and its principals Glenn Brandt, now deceased, and Keith Brandt.

Midwest Plating, operating a metal plating business at 1315 West Fourth Street in Appleton, contaminated soil and groundwater at and near the Midwest Plating site and failed to conduct the required clean-up and correct the operational problems that led to the contamination, state officials said.

?Corporations doing business in Wisconsin have a responsibility to comply with our environmental protection laws and regulations,? Lautenschlager said. ?For the health of our citizens and the environment, my office holds violators accountable for their actions.?

According to the Department of Justice, plating solutions and other contaminated liquids containing chromium, lead, cadmium, nickel, or zinc have been discharged at the Midwest site and have contaminated soil, surface water, or groundwater, but Midwest Plating and its principals have failed to act as needed to restore the environment and to minimize harmful effects from the discharges.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have taken steps at the site to address the environmental contamination

According to the terms of the settlement, Midwest Plating has agreed to pay a total of $28,927 in forfeitures, assessments, costs, and fees for the violations that have occurred at its Appleton site.

The Wisconsin DNR investigated this matter and referred the case to the Attorney General. Assistant Attorney General Philip Peterson prosecuted the case for the State of Wisconsin. Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Michael W. Gage has approved the settlement agreement.