City of Pomona v. Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile S.A.

ORDER DENYING TRANSFER

JOHN G. HEYBURN II, Chairman.

Before the Panel:* Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, plaintiffs in two actions move to centralize two actions in the Central District of California. Responding defendant SQM North America Corporation (SQMNA) opposes the motion.

On the basis of the papers filed and the hearing session held, we will deny the motion. Each of these actions is brought by a California municipality alleging that its drinking water supply has been contaminated by perchlorate, a toxic chemical found in defendants’ fertilizer products, and the actions do share some factual…