La. Federal Court Denies Motions to Dismiss Creosoting Contamination Case, Finds Efforts ‘Premature’

LAKE CHARLES, La. –– A Louisiana federal court has denied two motions to dismiss filed in a creosoting product contamination case, finding the defense efforts “premature.”

In the Dec. 3 order, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana opined that it could not make a decision as to the validity of the proposed class until more discovery was conducted.

The plaintiffs in the underlying class action lawsuit allege that nearby properties were contaminated by facilities owned by Shreveport Creosoting Company and International Paper. The alleged contamination occurred from the storage and/or transfer of creosoting products form the …